The Unió Llauradora has requested the European Commission to apply a tariff of 16 percent on citrus purchases from third countries as a tool to strengthen the competitiveness of European citrus farming in the face of the sharp increase in production costs and the fall in prices at origin.
In a statement released by the agricultural organization, it is asserted that community institutions must implement measures that help balance the rules of the game in the market. The entity recalls that the sector is facing a cost increase close to 33%, especially in basic agricultural inputs such as agricultural diesel, pest control treatments, or the energy needed for irrigation.
The Unió emphasizes that, "while the different Administrations do not guarantee a reduction of these costs," it is "necessary" to articulate corrective mechanisms that allow European producers to sustain their activity and compete under fairer conditions against the influx of citrus from third countries.
Prices down at the start of the citrus campaign
According to the organization, the situation is "especially concerning" due to the evolution of prices at the beginning of this campaign. The prices of several varieties are below those recorded in the same weeks of the previous year, with an average decrease exceeding 17% based on usual values.
By types of citrus, Clemenules clementines have reduced their price by 7% compared to the same week of the 2025/26 campaign; Owari satsumas have done so by 4%; Navelina oranges by 13%; and Fino lemons have suffered a collapse of 43%. This market behavior adds pressure to the farms, which bear higher costs while receiving less income from their harvests.
For La Unió, this situation jeopardizes the profitability of citrus farms and complicates the continuity of activity in the medium and long term.
The Secretary General of La Unió, Carles Peris, has reminded that "we are in a complicated context at the start of the campaign, with prices lower than those of the previous season and a 33% increase in essential production costs for agricultural activity." In his opinion, this reality "is unsustainable for European citrus farming, especially considering the increase in imports of citrus from third countries over the last campaigns."
Peris considers that the community authorities cannot ignore the situation and demands actions that allow correcting the current imbalances. "If producing costs more and more and farmers earn less for their harvests, it becomes impossible to compete under adequate conditions. The European Commission must act to protect the viability of citrus farms and prevent this loss of competitiveness from continuing to worsen," he added.
La Unió reiterates that the trade policy of the European Union must take into account the economic reality of citrus farms and the escalation of agricultural costs. Therefore, it proposes the establishment of a 16% tariff on citrus from third countries as a tool to help stabilize the market and ensure the continuity of European citrus cultivation.
Balance of the VI Citrus Conferences of La Unió in Betxí
These demands have been put on the table during the VI Citrus Conferences of La Unió, held this Thursday and Friday in Betxí (Castellón). More than 350 professionals from the sector have participated in the sessions, where the current situation has been analyzed and new phytosanitary challenges have also been addressed.
Throughout the conferences, issues such as emerging diseases and pests, the promotion of biological control, varietal innovation, new genetic techniques, crop nutrition, and the delicate profitability of farms, heavily conditioned by low prices and production costs considered unsustainable by producers, have been discussed.