Spain’s citrus exports have recorded a 4 per cent increase in turnover despite overall volume falling by an estimated 13 per cent, according to Valencia-based agricultural association Ava-Asaja.

Between September 2007 and April this year, the country’s citrus sector recorded the rise in turnover – worth an estimated €2,175 – in spite of exports dropping from 3.32m tonnes in 2006/07 to 2.89m tonnes this season.

As a consequence of this, traders have also able to increase their prices by an average of 20 per cent to around €0.75 per kg, said the association.

“When calm and good sense prevail, the market widens and shows that it is possible to achieve decent prices for all the commercial links in the chain,” said Ava-Asaja president Cristóbal Aguado.

But Mr Aguado added that “better coordination” through the supply chain could have result in still improved citrus prices.

Ava-Asaja said that the recently concluded citrus campaign was marked by a historic fall in production of more than 30 per cent, with 1m tonnes less produced this year compared with the season before.

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