The prices at origin of late orange varieties range from 60 to 70 cents per kilo, depending on calibres and qualities. These high prices are due mainly to the decline in their production, of about 40%, which will result in the campaign finishing earlier than usual.
"Thanks to us buying well in advance, the prices we paid were cheaper and, therefore, we can also sell at slightly lower prices," affirms Rogelio Rodríguez Ibáñez, manager of the Valencia-based marketing agency Cítricos Fruit Control.
"Right now, we have 2 million kilos of Valencia Late oranges in Seville of the Barberita and Midknight varieties, among others, which are still on the trees," stated the exporter.
"The Valencia Late from Argentina, Uruguay and South Africa will not arrive until mid-August. Unfortunately for us, supermarket chains in Spain are increasingly buying more from overseas suppliers directly, as this reduces our chances as a marketing agency," points out Rogelio Rodríguez.
Cítricos Fruit Control works with all sorts of citrus fruits, both for fresh consumption and processing, and has suppliers all over Spain. "We are planning to start shipping fruit the day after it was harvested, to ensure it is as fresh as possible, without resorting to cold chambers. This will allow our fruit to stand out and help us improve our profit margins," he explains.
"We export to the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, Italy, Sweden, the UK, Oman and Dubai, where we plan to open an office in January next year."
