The province of Castellón continues to see a decline in the area devoted to citrus cultivation. According to the latest data, around 400 hectares have been abandoned in 2025, a figure that confirms a worrying trend that is repeated year after year. This decline is not due to a single cause, but to a combination of several factors that directly affect the profitability of the sector and generational renewal in the countryside.
Lack of profitability and ageing of the sector
Among the main reasons for abandoning citrus farming are rising production costs, insufficient prices at source and pressure from foreign competition. Added to this is the ageing of farmers and the difficulty for young people to commit to farming as a career. In many small farms, keeping the fields in production is no longer economically viable, which ultimately leads to their abandonment.
A structural challenge for the future of the countryside
The continued loss of citrus-growing land not only has an economic impact, but also a social and territorial one. Land abandonment affects the landscape, increases the risk of pests and hinders the sustainability of rural areas. Curbing this trend requires structural measures that boost farmers' profitability, support the modernisation of farms and highlight the strategic role of the citrus sector in the province.
You can read the full story at Castellón Plaza.
