To explain the increase in the price of oranges in recent weeks, it is necessary to take into account different factors that, together, explain an increase that has been occurring progressively in recent years. According to figures from the Valencia Citrus Market, the navelina orange (the most widespread variety in Spain) was sold in January 2022 for €0.16/kg, while in January 2023 this figure rose to €0.25/kg. kg and in December 2024 (the latest data available) its price reached €0.38/kg.
This means that the cost has practically tripled in the last two years “due to a host of reasons: the impact of Covid, flu and respiratory diseases, climate change that affects crops and public awareness. about the importance of consuming seasonal and local foods, which translates into an increase in consumption,” summarizes Juan José Bas, manager of the Naranjasyfrutas.com platform, which brings together more than 4,000 citrus producers who sell directly to businesses without intermediaries or commissions.
“What is happening with oranges in recent weeks is, ultimately, due to the law of supply and demand. Production is increasingly limited due to climate change and demand has skyrocketed, resulting in increased prices,” says Bas. The manager of Naranjas y Frutas explains, however, that the consumer rarely blames this increase on the producers, with whom he assures the majority of the population is in solidarity. “In a context of such evident climate change, even people who live in cities understand that both drought and drastic changes in climate throughout the year necessarily affect crops. They do often get angry when they think about the amount of money that falls into the hands of intermediaries along the entire route to certain establishments.”
For Bas, one of the main reasons why the demand for oranges has increased is the spread of flu and respiratory diseases that has once again overwhelmed emergency services this winter. In this sense, the Oranges and Fruits search engine is a good reflection of popular sentiment. “The navelina orange has been searched for 23.5%, while last year it was searched for 8%,” explains Bas. This happens because many consumers are not aware that the old myth that oranges cure the flu is nothing more than that, a myth. While it is true that citrus fruits in general have a good vitamin C content, it does not act in an almost magical way on our state of health, as many consumers still imagine today. Nutritionist Susana León explains: "Although regular consumption of vitamin C can increase the proliferation of MK lymphocytes, which improve the response of the immune system, there is no scientific evidence that vitamin C prevents colds."
León points out that the time has come to debunk another of the great myths about this vitamin, specifically about its presence in orange juice and its fleeting capacity for self-destruction. “It is true that it is the most fragile vitamin of the entire vitamin group, since it is sensitive to light and oxidation and unstable to heat, but it can last up to twelve hours after squeezing a fruit,” says León. Thus, drinking orange juice on the fly to prevent the vitamins from being lost is nothing more than another myth linked to oranges that has been passed down for generations and still survives today.
It is also important to keep in mind that vitamin C is water-soluble, which means that it is not stored in the body, but rather it is essential to replenish it regularly and that a deficiency of approximately six months could give rise to a rare disease in the present: scurvy, typical of other times when sailors spent long periods at sea without eating fruit and vegetables. It is something very rare nowadays, since vitamin C (also present in other foods such as red pepper or kiwi) is very common in the diet and it is easy to reach the recommended daily levels without making any extra effort.
"Many people consume more vitamin C than usual to strengthen the immune system, they even supplement it, without knowing that the body ends up excreting the surplus, so that in most cases the extra that we are consuming ends up being discarded through the urine,” says nutritionist Álvaro Sánchez, from Medicadiet.
Bas also highlights that the fact that “there are many fewer oranges in the fields” has led to a progressive increase in prices during recent campaigns. “The harvests are smaller for various reasons, from the fact that it has rained much less to the fact that there have been phenomena that we have not seen for a long time, such as hail, which this year has caused havoc,” explains the manager of Naranjas y Frutas. , engineer and also citrus producer. “Since the climate is now much warmer, mandarin oranges are drier, with less juice, which has caused them to be destined for industry instead of being used for fresh consumption,” continues Bas.
We must also not forget that the beginning of the year is a time when many people make it their goal to quit smoking and, in the words of Bas, “oranges and tangerines have proven to be good allies in achieving this, since they leave a sweet and fresh taste in the mouth that makes many people want to smoke less.” According to nutritionist Paloma Quintana, “we will be entertained peeling them, removing the skins, separating the segments. If we get used to finishing our meals with a tangerine instead of a coffee, its fresh flavor will be so pleasant that we may feel like smoking less.”
Finally, it must be taken into account that the different campaigns on the need to focus on seasonal and local foods that have been launched in recent times may have had an impact on the population and contributed to the increase in demand.“ Citrus fruits are the native fruits par excellence typical of the winter season, something that the population values more and more. Furthermore, we are also increasingly aware that consuming oranges means supporting the Spanish countryside," explains Bas, who celebrates that despite the current situation of climate change and increased prices, "oranges and mandarins have become popular again. fashion".
