Citrus growers will end the year well and, according to estimates, there will be a higher demand for their product in 2016.
Sweet orange currently has a good price in local markets. The 20 kilo box is being bought for $40 or $50, that is to say, double what the Akil juicer is paying: $ 1,200 per ton, i.e. $20 per box.
As a result, at least for now, few producers are taking their production to the processing plant.
Citrus producers say that the anticipated shortage of the fruit is due to the prolonged drought that took place months before the end of this year.
They added that many farmers prefer to plant Persian lime grafts because they have a better output and achieve higher sales prices. Additionally, they try to plant them so that they can harvest it throughout the entire year.
The trend of planting more lime has gradually reduced the acreage devoted to sweet oranges. According to data from Sagarpa, sweet orange crops predominated in the area by up to 90% until a decade ago.
To date there are more than 5,300 hectares planted with Persian limes, 600 hectares of mandarin, and 450 hectares of grapefruit.
This allows producers to sell more sweet oranges fresh, as it increasingly has a higher demand and better prices.
According to Jose Hau Ek, a producer, buyers are paying $ 40 per box of fruit, double what the juicing company is paying, and up to $45 for mandarins.
Premium lime is being paid at $ 80, according to demand.
In past years, the price of sweet orange at this time of the year was lower than what the Akil Juicer used to pay. It was only until April or May that purchase prices improved.
Dozens of merchants are visiting the local markets on wholesaling days to buy citrus to supply different markets in the country, mainly in the tourist district of Quintana Roo.
