Difficult Harvest Season of Sweet Orange Growers

This season the Cooperative Juguera de Akil did not arrive at the planned goals since it did not receive the amount of sweet orange that promised the citrus growers. During this season the Juguera de Akil could collect only 15.752 tons of fruits, not even 50% of earlier plans from the beginning of the processing season. The farmers from the cooperative had projected to give in season 2006-2007 - 32.000 tons of sweet orange. One reason of shortage of sweet orange is the lack of technology among the growers. However, most of all very competitive prices that offered local buyers from states Quintana Roo and Campeche caused that the citrus farmers preferred to sell their crops to them. For example, buyers from Campeche paid 1200 - 1800 US$/ton and Juguera de Akil could offer only 700 US$/ ton of sweet orange. In season 2005-2006, with a census of 21.983 citrus growers 33.000 tons of fruit were collected, and in season 2004-2005 - 24.683 growers produced 36.000 tons of sweet orange.