The entry of oranges from Egypt has been a cause for concern for Carles Peris, secretary general of the agricultural and livestock association Unió Llaudadora in the Valencian Community, who has been warning for years about the negative impact this is having on local farmers. The region, renowned for its citrus production, has experienced a significant drop in prices for the native orange, with a drop in prices per kilo from 40 to 22 cents, especially noticeable in Andalusia.
Imports of Egyptian oranges into the EU have increased.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, imports of Egyptian oranges into the European Union have increased considerably in recent years, with an increase of 104% in January and 26% in February compared to the same periods the previous year. This increase coincides with the citrus harvesting season in Spain, which has exacerbated competition and led to a reduction in local prices.
The economic impact
The economic impact on Spanish farmers is evident, with profit margins becoming increasingly narrow due to the low prices of Egyptian oranges, which are sold at a fraction of the Spanish cost of production. Moreover, the situation is aggravated by the lack of phytosanitary controls on foreign imports, which increases the risk of pests being introduced into the country.
Stricter quality and origin control measures
Unió Llaudadora has actively advocated in Brussels for stricter quality and origin control measures to protect local producers. They have called for restrictions similar to those applied to Spanish products in other countries, such as the United States, where origin control measures are required. They have also urged the European Union to promote fair international trade that takes into account the regions of Europe that do not have a deficit in citrus production, such as Castellón, when faced with unfair competition from massive imports from countries such as Egypt.
You can read the original article, from which we have extracted the information, at the following link: https://www.elespanol.com/reportajes/20240317/entrada-naranja-egipcia-alerta-carles-peris-agricultores-no-vendemos-espanola/840166326_0.html
