British retailers and wholesalers have been compelled to pivot their orange sourcing strategy to South Africa and South America following devastating floods in eastern Spain that have severely impacted local harvests and distribution networks.
The catastrophic weather events have inflicted damages exceeding €1 billion on Valencia’s agricultural sector, according to Spain’s largest farming association, Asaja. The impact has been particularly severe on persimmon crops, which have proven more vulnerable to flood damage than citrus fruits.
Major UK retailers report shifting to southern hemisphere suppliers several weeks ahead of traditional seasonal transitions to maintain consistent shelf stock. One prominent British retailer has already initiated orange imports from South Africa due to Spanish supply chain disruptions affecting both warehousing operations and road networks.
Market data indicates wholesale orange prices surged by more than 30% immediately following the floods, though prices have since stabilised with the introduction of southern hemisphere competition. The situation has been further complicated for British buyers by Brexit-related additional checks, which have increased costs and extended delivery timeframes.
Industry analysts at Rabobank had previously forecast below-average orange supplies for the season, with easy peeler prices already elevated before the flooding event. The full extent of flood-related supply pressure remains unclear, as damage assessment continues in affected regions.
The logistics of harvesting, packing, and transporting fruit present the primary challenge, rather than widespread crop destruction. Sources within the citrus industry indicate that significant portions of the harvest remain salvageable, even in the worst-affected areas of Valencia, suggesting potential recovery in supply levels as infrastructure improves.
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