All Lemon, the quality seal for exported lemons from Argentina, has said that it expects its 2015 lemon harvest to exceed the volume achieved last year, although final numbers are still likely to be down slightly on what would usually be considered a normal crop.
The group said that the trees have yet to adapt biologically and recover from the weather conditions of 2013, including the worst frosts in 50 years, followed by a period of drought in spring 2013/summer 2014, which combined led to a 60 per cent decrease in production during 2014 compared with a regular season.
In addition to the factors that caused a reduction in the 2014 crop, there was a noted productive disorder in the orchards which will have an impact on the 2015 crop. Forecasts suggest the final output could be 15-20 per cent lower than what would be considered to be a normal season.
'Looking at the worldwide situation for lemon production that coincides with our own season it is important to note that to date there have been very low temperatures recorded in the Northern Hemisphere's production zones, including Spain and Turkey, which could also have some impact on the development of fruit yet to be harvested,' explained Romain Corneille, chairman of All Lemon.
'These factors have to be taken into account since they influence both the start and end of Argentina's lemon season and must be monitored in order to supply the correct volumes of All Lemon-audited lemons to clients overseas.'
Although it is still too early to provide a full outlook for the 2015 lemon crop, Corneille said the group will tackle head on the challenges that the crop variations will bring.
In addition, he assured that All Lemon would deal with the difficulties posed by the financial situation in the key export markets for Argentinian lemons, namely Europe and Russia, which are facing an increasingly weak euro and a Russian rouble that is devaluating at an unprecedented rate.
“It is precisely at times like these that you have to be more creative and even more proactive in order to maintain the position of leadership that All Lemon has achieved,' Corneille explained. 'We insist on sticking to the same formula that has always been effective for us and that is to work tirelessly on the quality of our control processes.'
Carlos Parravicini, vice-president of All Lemon, adds that buying a lemon that has been grown with care and professionally audited offers the greatest client security.
'Being aware of this, All Lemon has raised its quality standards season after season, introducing ever more detailed classification procedures and raising the bar to the highest levels when it comes to deciding which lemons should or should not be packed into a box for export,' Parravicini noted. 'Our goal is to ensure that each and every client receives the quality fruit that they have ordered.
“Even if this coming season is more complex than usual due to various biological and macroeconomic factors, which are out of our control, the clients have our assurance that we shall continue to work with the utmost care and detail to ensure that they will only be supplied with the very best lemons”.
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