Gifruit is forecasting a good harvest level for 2018-19, after a lean 2017-18 campaign. The alternate bearing phenomenon has been favourable and rainfall has been abundant, even causing some flooding which has caused damage to limited surface areas of approximately 1 000 hectares. The 440 000 t expected represents a level approximately 15 % above the six-year average, and is nearly 30 % up on last season. This bounce-back illustrates the expansion trend of the Tunisian cultivation area, going from approximately 22 000 ha in 2010 to 27 000 ha in 2016. Production of the Maltaise orange, the country’s main export variety, has reportedly achieved a big rise from 2017-18 (+ 42 %), albeit with only an average level of approximately 135 000 t. This variety is not enjoying the general dynamic of the sector: just 21 ha was planted, out of the more than 600 ha established across all varieties in 2016, further accentuating the stock’s ageing trend (50 % of the trees are more than 40 years old). Which is a shame, since the “queen of oranges” has not been unseated by any in terms of taste, and enjoys real renown on its main (and practically only) export market, France, where it is also managing to stand out from the Spanish giant.
Source: Gifruit
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