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Citrus Crops in Spain and Mexico - October 2007
Spain
Sunday 28 October 2007
The current citrus crops in Spain (lemons, oranges, mandarins and grapefruits) and in México (limes) have suffered severe losses. In Spain draught early in 2007, heavy frosts in April and May caused initial losses of the blooms, high winds in August caused further losses of blooms and also fruits of the early varieties, and, finally Valencia and Murcia plantations were flooded last week (more than 1000 litres of rain per square meter in 24 hours in some places, averaging over 450 litres / square metre in the growing areas)Apart from all the climate issues, in Spain about 40 per cent of the plantations have been abandoned during the period 2002 to 2007 for economical reasons which has reduced availability.
In Mexico hurricane "DEAN" has destroyed 50 per cent of the lime crop and this coupled with the losses of lemons in Argentina and Uruguay due to frosts, it is inevitable that we will see price rises as the raw material costs have doubled. We are waiting a final assessment of the Spanish crops over the next few weeks but today's analysis assessments that there is likely to be a 30 per cent price increase for lemons, oranges, mandarins and grapefruits and to a 50 per cent increase in the lime products in the F.O.T. price for 2008.
In Mexico hurricane "DEAN" has destroyed 50 per cent of the lime crop and this coupled with the losses of lemons in Argentina and Uruguay due to frosts, it is inevitable that we will see price rises as the raw material costs have doubled. We are waiting a final assessment of the Spanish crops over the next few weeks but today's analysis assessments that there is likely to be a 30 per cent price increase for lemons, oranges, mandarins and grapefruits and to a 50 per cent increase in the lime products in the F.O.T. price for 2008.
