Spain: Road map for the citrus sector

Turning point of a key sector

Coordinated by Prof. J.M. Álvarez-Coque -Valencia Polytechnic University-  and Dr. E. Moltó -Valencian Institute for Agricultural Research (IVIA)- the monograph has the participation of 41 experts, sharing their points of view to prresent an exhaustive analysis of the situation and future challenges of the citrus sector in Spain.

During the online presentation of this report, the important specific weight that citrus fruits have for the economy and agriculture in Spain was first highlighted. In 2019, the citrus fruit sector had a production value at origin of 2.5 billion euros, 5% of the national total. In the same year, the value of exports reached 3.2 billion euros, representing 6% of total foreign sales of the Spanish agro-food sector.

However, in recent years it has reached a turning point, accentuated in the 2018 season, because of overproduction and the containment of demand, which has led to a series of disturbances, aggravated by a several changes at other levels.

Amongst these, Roberto García Torrente, from Cajamar, has underlined the growing globalization of markets, which has increased competition at the beginning and end of each season with products from the Southern hemisphere. He also mentioned the movement of production from the Valencia Region to other areas with good weather and water conditions where, in addition, the larger estates allow for more rational and economic exploitation; as well as the interest of traditional marketers in controlling the whole process, from cultivation to the end consumer, by investing in estates in different regions.

He also mentioned the continuous commitment to innovation; the new techniques of integrated and ecological cultivation, and the introduction of new technologies; the necessary reinvention of citrus cooperatives to make their activity profitable, and the continuous threat of diseases that put the viability of the farms at risk.

Specific recommendations

The coordinators of the work then explained the keys to this publication, which explores future scenarios and includes specific recommendations around four main axes:

(1) a competitive value chain; (2) the new perspectives for economic sustainability opened up by technologies; (3) the challenge of environmental sustainability in production, especially in the face of climate change; and (4) the impact of globalization and European policies.

Prof.  Álvarez-Coque and Dr. Moltó emphasized the need to strengthen the leadership of the Spanish citrus sector, prepare a strategic plan, improve vertical and horizontal coordination as well as differentiate the product and stimulate the integration of supply.

In their opinion, "Spanish citriculture must take advantage of the regulatory potential of the EU, not exclusively based on the CAP, to strengthen the position of citrus growers within a European model that defends stricter environmental and social standards than other countries”.

Prof. Rosa Gallardo –Córdoba Polytechnic University- has focused on the citrus production in Andalucía, explaining some of the peculiarities that differentiate the sector in this region from other regions. One of these, she pointed out, is the size, as farms larger than five hectares are more representative in Andalucía than in the rest of the producing areas.

"In Valencia Region and in the Region of Murcia, holdings of less than one hectare stand out, while in Andalucía, holdings of this size account for less than 27 %”. This means a better yield for Andalusian farms.

The full report in Spanish can be found here: https://bit.ly/31ILFxE

Source: cajamar.es