Oranges, like other products, have experienced a surge in demand due to Covid-19.

The demand for citrus fruits has increased dramatically, especially in the European countries most affected by the Coronavirus, such as Italy and Spain.

The Italian domestic production of oranges has not been sufficient to cover the national needs, the intense autumn rains have negatively affected the quantity of product harvested and available on the market.

It should also be underlined that oranges produced in Italy have an increasingly reduced seasonality, citrus fruits are usually available at the end of February and therefore at the time of the outbreak of the pandemic and the consequent national lockdown there were no more Italian oranges to be distributed on the domestic market.

 

Dal Bello SIFE chose Egyptian oranges

As an importer, Dal Bello SIFE did not find the availability of products of European origin and turned to North African countries.

We immediately noticed that demand was increasing and we chose to import and distribute Egyptian oranges.

Egyptian oranges are of excellent quality and have the particularity of having a longer seasonality than the Italian one. We have turned to the producers in a timely manner ensuring the supply of large quantities.

This has allowed us to keep prices down and to guarantee coverage of domestic demand.

At this moment on the market there are oranges of non-European origin.

Spanish oranges, which in this period should have substituted the Italian product, were destined for consumers in Spain, which also experienced a very high growth in domestic demand due to the Covid-19 emergency.

The increase in demand for oranges also involves non-European markets, such as United States which are waiting for the South American product and China.

The arrival of Nevel oranges from South Africa should guarantee a supply necessary to cover European needs, provided demand remains stable compared to last year and there is no increase in contagions due to the restart of activities.

Alessandro Dal Bello

Senior Vice President

Dal Bello SIFE S.r.l.