Spain projects lowest citrus harvest in 16 years

Written and reported by Camila Gutierrez | Lee esta noticia en Español

Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) yearly citrus forecast projects that 2025’s production of oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and small citrus fruits will be the lowest in 16 years.

The government agency expects production to amount to 5.44 million tons, a 10 percent decline nationwide compared to last season.

Spain is the leading citrus producer in the European Union and the sixth-largest globally, with 55 percent of its production destined for export.

The shocking projection put Valencian citrus sector on alert, whose output is projected to decline by eight percent.

The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) has called on authorities to implement a “Marshall Plan” to support growers and make up for losses in the sector. 

The organization is seeking government funding to revitalize the sector and the implementation of initiatives that support growers. The money, the guild said, would go to optimizing farm restructuring, facilitating varietal conversion, and ending the “pinyolà,” a seed formation issue.

Grants will also go to recovering abandoned groves, and other complementary measures such as improving agricultural insurance, authorizing more phytosanitary active substances, controlling wild fauna, and tackling theft.

Climate is only part of the problem

AVA-ASAJA President Cristóbal Aguado attributes the smaller harvest mainly to hailstorms and adverse climate conditions in the spring and summer.

However, this is "part of a concerning downward trend that has been dragging on for some time.” The union representative said the dramatic situation is also the result of aging plantations, inadequate varietal maps, smallholdings, and field abandonment.

”It’s necessary to allocate sufficient funding to tackle these challenges, which, if properly addressed, would strengthen our long-term leadership in the European market,” emphasized Aguado.

A hard hit on the Valencian orange industry

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Valencian Community projects a harvest of a little over 2.5 million tons for the 2025/26 citrus campaign. This figure represents an eight percent decline (217,126 fewer tons) compared to 2024, and a 13 percent drop compared to 2023. It is also 17.9 percent below the average of the last five seasons and 23.2 percent smaller than the average of the last ten.

According to the Valencia Citrus Exchange, orders began weeks earlier than usual, and farm-gate prices remain similar to or even up to 25 percent higher year-on-year, as in the case of grapefruit. 

Clemenules, one of the mandarin varieties on the pricier side, will be in particularly short supply due to hail damage in southern Castellón and northern Valencia. The fruit enjoys the privilege of high demand, which, combined with a small harvest, will drive prices up.

Ironically, this won’t mean clemenule growers will see high returns, as production costs have increased considerably due to the need for irrigation and pest control.

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