The production of Algarve oranges has declined between 10% and 20% this winter compared to last, and the quality is down due to excessive humidity, according to producers.
"We have had less quantity than in 2013 and at a lower quality," said Lusa Horacio Ferreira, one of the leaders of the Agricultural Cooperative of Citrus Growers Algarve (Cacial).
According to Ferreira this winter there was "a lot of moisture in the air" which has contributed to production shortfalls in the order of 20%.
Fernando Christina of Cooprobol, a cooperative covering Boliqueime to Silves, explained that the moisture in the Algarve was constantly giving rise to a nasty moisture-related fungus.
"The fungus attacks in two ways, on the outer skin of the orange which stains it and on the stem which is weakened and the orange falls to the ground causing a drop in output "in the order of 15% to 20%."
Pedro Madeira, president of Frusoal, an Algarve-based company buying from about 50 citrus producers, confirmed a fall in production of around 10% and agreed that that the main culprit was the humidity.
"The rain was not to blame, we had a lot of moisture that kept orchards wet too long and which did not allow the fruit a chance against certain diseases," he said, adding that "there was a lot of fruit that fell to the ground.”
The fall in production over the winter season, which ends this month, "will extend to the spring season," admitted one producer, referring to the period of high moisture that has caused much of his crop to drop to the ground.
Around half of the oranges from the winter season are normally exported to other European countries, notably France, Switzerland, Germany and Poland.
Producers had hoped for a good winter as last summer’s crop was down between 60% and 70% compared to 2012 caused by the heat wave during flowering which affected output. The Algarve produces between 250 to 300 thousand tons of oranges per year.
