Citrus fruits – Certified nurseries
Compared to previous years, the cultivation of citrus fruits begins to decrease in Greece, in the “traditional” production centers (Arta, Laconia, Crete), while new centers are being created (Aitoloakarnania), with the Regional Unity of Argolis remaining the source of citrus fruits. Citrus fruits are the fourth largest tree crop in Greece and the third in number of trees after the olive and stone fruits.
Today they are cultivated on 408,000 acres compared to the 528,000 acres that existed earlier. A drop in cultivated area and production in oranges, but also in grapefruits is evident. The problem is more acute in lemons, as due to the disaster suffered by lemon cultivation in the country in 2004 and 2007, with two consecutive frosts, the country is in deficit in this product as well. However, the cultivated area in lemons is stable, while production shows an upward trend in recent years. At the same time, Greece is starting to trust mandarins, as compared to 1998 there is a significant increase, both in acres and in production. It is positive that despite the fact that the area under citrus has decreased, the amount produced is about the same, close to 1 million tons.
The dominant species that we produce as a country and the main weight of the production is oranges at a percentage of 77%, when the percentage of tangerines is 14% and lemons reach only 8%. The production centers with the largest quantities of citrus fruits are for oranges the Regional Unities of Argolis and Laconia (60%), the Regional Unities of Thesprotia and Argolis for tangerines (49%) and for lemons the Regional Unities of Achaia and Corinthia (47%).
In terms of citrus exports and imports, oranges (70%) are mainly exported, followed by tangerines at 20%. The total amount of citrus fruits is about 438,000 tons. In fact, our export activity has been increasing in recent years. However, as a country the needs are not met and that is why we import about 31,000 tons of which 23,000 tons are lemons due to the fact that we do not grow summer varieties. However, according to the latest data prepared by the Incofruit Hellas Exporters Association, from September 1, 2022 to May 5, 2023, the export of oranges amounted to 312,984 tons, increased by 27.8% compared to the corresponding season last year, and of mandarins to 154,633 tons. increased by 28.5%.
For oranges, varieties that come out either in autumn or in spring and varieties with rights and superior quality characteristics could be grown, as the market demands. What emerges is that there is a great need for new varieties mainly in oranges and tangerines, new subjects, restructuring of crops and varieties that will focus on the production of quality products, development of genetic material and reduction of production costs through the use of innovative crops and collective schemes /groups.
