The Spanish government’s plans for the restructuring of the country’s citrus industry have been slammed as “insufficient” and “far too late” by a leading fresh produce association.

Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca, general secretary of Asaja Murcia, has criticised as “weak” and “lacking ambition” the authorities’ plans to grant subsidies to owners of citrus plantations.

Under the recently approved royal decree, the government has pledged to lead the reconstruction of Spanish citrus plantations between 2008 and 2013. The subsidies would aid growers in improving irrigation facilities among other activities.

However, in order to qualify for an award a producer must first be a member of a producer association or have in place a marketing agreement with a producer organisation.

For this reason, Mr Gálvez slammed the plan as being “clearly weak” and as having arrived “far too late” with an inadequate budgetary grant for the citrus sector.

“It’s a very poor plan that lacks ambition because it will attempt to subsidise 18,000ha over a period of five years when the minimum needs of the sector are closer to 22,000ha,” he said.

Valencia-based fresh produce lobbying group La Unió had earlier denounced the plans as only covering 6 per cent of the total area of Spain’s citrus production by omitting the 60 per cent of growers that do not have links with any citrus associations.

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