In the wake of catastrophic floods that devastated eastern Spain last month, the country’s vital citrus industry is grappling with unprecedented challenges. With farmers struggling to salvage crops and repair damaged infrastructure, the ripple effects are being felt across the supply chain, forcing British retailers and wholesalers to make tough choices.
Turning to the Southern Hemisphere
Faced with the prospect of potential shortages and quality issues, some UK companies have taken the extraordinary step of sourcing oranges from South Africa and South America weeks earlier than they typically would. This pivot aims to prevent gaps from emerging on supermarket shelves, but it comes at a cost.
As one industry insider explained, “We’re right in the persimmon season now, and that’s what’s been most affected.” These delicate fruits, also known as sharon or kaki, have fared even worse than oranges in the wake of the floods.
Staggering Losses
The scale of the damage is hard to fathom. According to the Valencian branch of Asaja, Spain’s largest farming association, the floods have led to losses exceeding €1 billion for the region’s agricultural sector alone. In a stark assessment, they described the situation as “catastrophic,” with entire fields vanishing and crucial infrastructure left in ruins.
“The damage is catastrophic in terms of output, cultivated fields, agrarian infrastructure, agricultural machinery and vehicles, livestock farms and nurseries – and in terms of the lands lost as entire fields have disappeared.”
Valencian branch of Asaja
Logistical Nightmares
Beyond the direct impact on crops, the floods have also wreaked havoc on critical transportation arteries. Damaged motorways and rural roads have hampered efforts to get harvested produce to market, while a recent blockade by protesting French farmers only compounded the challenges.
“The streets are being cleaned up, but the fields are always the last thing that gets cleaned up,” a source close to the situation noted. “We’re talking about a lot of rural roads, and there just aren’t the resources.”
Assessing the Fallout
As farmers and officials work to gauge the full extent of the crisis, UK retailers are feeling the squeeze. One major supermarket chain confirmed that it had been forced to turn to South African oranges due to the immense difficulty of sourcing citrus from Spain in the wake of the disaster.
Jason Glass, managing director of London’s All Greens wholesaler, noted that orange prices had surged over 30% in the immediate aftermath of the floods, although increased competition from the southern hemisphere has since helped stabilize costs. He also pointed out that Brexit-related checks have exacerbated the strain on UK buyers, driving up expenses and prolonging delivery times.
Weathering the Storm
Despite the immense challenges, there are glimmers of hope. Not all Spanish farms were equally affected by the floods, with some retailers reporting only minimal disruptions to their supply chains. “The main problem remains a logistical one,” an industry source confided, suggesting that many citrus crops had withstood the worst of the rains.
As the Spanish citrus sector works to pick up the pieces, UK companies are likely to face continued uncertainty in the weeks and months ahead. While the pivot to alternative suppliers may help bridge the gap, the road to recovery for this vital industry will undoubtedly be long and arduous.
In the face of such adversity, the resilience and adaptability of farmers, retailers, and consumers alike will be put to the ultimate test. As the crisis unfolds, the world will be watching to see how one of Europe’s most important agricultural regions navigates this uncharted territory, and what lessons can be learned for the future.
