The 2025/2026 citrus campaign is about to begin, and, in fact, the first Satsuma-type mandarins are already being harvested in the earliest areas, with higher prices at the source than in the previous season. The purchase of clementines, mandarins, and oranges started quite early, almost four months before the harvesting, depending on the varieties, especially for those that were hit by hail.
© Nostra Fruita
"This summer, there has been great unrest in the sector among those buying fruit at the source," says Miguel Agustín, Sales Director of Nostra Fruita, a Valencian company that distributes citrus, kakis, and stone fruit to supermarket chains and wholesale markets in Spain. "Marketing companies are paying very high prices for fruit that will be harvested in three months, or even later, for fear of not having enough supply."
One of the most sought-after varieties is the Clemenules, as heavy storms took place on July 11 and 12, which caused extraordinary losses in Plana Baixa, in Castellon, and in Camp de Morvedre, which account for most of the Clemenules production in Spain. The hail caused damages valued at around 20 million euros in the province of Castellon alone and more than 65 million euros in the Region of Valencia in general.
"For weeks now, purchases at the source have been carried out at a frenetic pace, with prices reaching very high levels, and they continue to rise. Besides the Clemenules, Navelina oranges are also highly demanded and are fetching very high prices. Even relatively expensive Clemenvillas are already being bought," he says.
"The restructuring of the citrus sector in recent years, with the creation of large business groups, has given these more and more buying power, and fruit purchases and sales are also taking place increasingly earlier, which involves quite high risks," says Miguel Agustín.
© Nostra Fruita
"The campaign is currently in full swing for overseas mandarins and oranges, and we still don't know how they are going to perform commercially or what availability there will be at the end of the season. Our campaign is always determined by the results of the overseas season. It is worth recalling that last year there were Valencia oranges in European markets until the end of November," says the Sales Director of Nostra Fruita.
Initial estimates carried out by some growers' organizations and some sales companies point to a smaller production of clementines and oranges. "We have to be cautious with purchases because there is usually more fruit than initially estimated," says Miguel Agustín.
For more information:
Miguel Agustín
Nostra Fruita SL
Tel.: +34 615 22 57 31
[email protected]