The Brazilian Association of Citrus Growers (Associtrus) expects the country's orange production to be 26% higher this year despite a smaller planting area, website Eptv.globo.com reported.

Associtrus presient Flávio Viegas said the productivity gain was mainly due to weather and best practices.

"In the previous season we had serious weather problems with excessive rain during the bloom, and then it was dry during the harvest. That really caused a great loss," Viegas was quoted as saying.

"Now we have a very significant recovery in productivity, which resulted in this crop.

"The foreign market is priced quite high due to the imbalance between supply and demand. The prospects for the citrus industry are very good, both internally and externally."

Viegas said new high density orchards had been planted in Brazil and now was a good time for further investment in the industry, the story reported.

"If there is a good prospect of prices I think now is really the time to invest, because the prospects are very good for the citrus industry in the future," he was quoted as saying.

Photo: www.todafruta.com.br

Related stories: Brazil's citrus greening lessons: 'there is no cure', just management

Sao Paulo oranges squeeze 19.3% growth

www.freshfruitportal.com