Spain's pain

While California's citrus growers received a shock of freezing cold, Spanish citrus growers have endured warmer than normal temperatures which has sped maturity and reduced export prospects for the remaining clementine crop, despite the market opportunity in the U.S. Prospects are better for oranges, however. Here is a USDA FAS report talking about Spain's pain. And an excerpt below:

To the point of potential, additional Spanish citrus exports, just as the unseasonable weather has affected the California citrus crop, so too unseasonable weather has affected the Spanish citrus crop. Exceptionally warm winter weather here in Spain may be partially to blame for the current low Clementine prices, because the crop has ripened at a quicker-than-normal pace. Because Clementines, in an advanced stage of maturation, are too delicate to export, it is next to impossible that any of the remaining crop could be exported to the United States to help overcome the apparent U.S. shortage. Thus in the Tangerine supply and demand table below, we are reducing our forecast of domestic Clementine production and exports.
However, in the case of oranges, which are a later (than Clementines) maturing fruit, Spain does have the potential to increase exports to the United States. Spain and the United States have an agreed pre-clearance inspection program, so the basis for increased exports is in place. On the Spanish producer side there may need to be some additional work to assure that their oranges meet the export inspection protocol, but we don’t see major obstacles at this point, unless a phytosanitary problem does emerge as the crop is harvested and exported. As a result, we are increasing by our forecast of orange exports, while decreasing slightly our forecast of production. The increased export forecast not only comprises additional exports to the United States, but also includes “backfill” exports that will likely be precipitated from the tremendous devastation to the California citrus crop.



And here is a FAS report from England detailing some encouraging diet trends the U.K.

Data published in Defra’s latest Expenditure and Food Survey indicate fruit and vegetable purchases rose at their highest rate for twenty years between April 1, 2005 and March 31, 2006.


Here is a detailed examination of the EU grape situation and how reform of their ag policy could change their outlook.