AlgarOrange asks producers to notify the CCDR and inform FEDAGRI, urgently, to pressure the Government to open a support notice
The weather conditions of recent weeks are causing “sharp losses” in citrus fruit production in the Algarve, with average drops of around 25% and varieties recording losses that could reach 40%, according to an initial survey carried out among producers and operators in the region by AlgarOrange – Algarve Citrus Operators Association.
According to the association, the situation tends to worsen in the coming weeks, due to the extension of periods with high humidity levels, which favor the appearance of rot and the consequent fall of fruit.
AlgarOrange says in a statement that, in addition to the fruit already fallen to the ground, there is a “substantial amount” that, despite still being found on the trees, is already rotten, which should maintain the rate of losses over the next few weeks. The association also points to the occurrence of more extreme meteorological phenomena — wind, rain and hail — which would have affected many orchards and contributed to the level of losses now estimated.
Harvest costs rise and work in the field becomes more complicated
In parallel with the drop in production, AlgarOrange highlights the “substantial” increase in costs associated with harvesting, at a time when conditions on the ground make it difficult for teams to work and access farms. According to the press office, to maintain supply to the market, the harvest is being carried out “in the cold and rain”, with direct impacts on the pace and efficiency of operations.
In several orchards, adds the association, water saturation in the soil has caused tractors to sink, forcing fruit removal to be carried out mainly manually, “only by people”, which increases effort and makes the process more expensive.
“Natural” rise in production prices
Given this scenario, AlgarOrange’s management considers it “natural” that the prices paid for production reflect some increase, given the lower availability of fruit and the increase in operational costs associated with harvesting under current conditions.
Association asks for notifications to press for opening support
The also appeals to affected producers to fill out the notification forms and send them to the CCDR, also recommending that FEDAGRI – Algarve Agriculture Federation be informed of the process, with the aim of reinforcing pressure on the Government to open a support notice.
The association classifies this survey as initial and brief, but states that the portrait already makes it possible to confirm relevant impacts on the current harvest, in a context in which the health status of the fruit and the capacity for intervention in the orchards remain dependent on weather developments in the coming weeks.
Also read:
