GEN orange

EU orange prices have increased 13 per cent year on year due to lower domestic production expected for 2015.

A report from commodity analysts Mintel found that the 2015 EU orange harvest, starting in November, is forecast to be down 14 per cent from last season, falling to 5.7 million tonnes.

A Mintel spokesperson said: 'This is mainly due to poor fruit setting caused by a lack of rainfall earlier in the season. Record breaking hot temperatures across Europe during June and July, including in Valencia, Spain’s main orange-producing region, have reduced fruit yield.

'Due to the lower production expected for fresh fruit, the fruit available for processing is expected to fall by 14 per cent.'