The prolonged drought that has affected Misiones since the second half of 2020 caused serious damage to the production of oranges, lemons, and grapefruits in the province that could have decreased this season’s citrus production by up to 40%, stated Ricardo Ranger, a producer and reference of citrus farming in Misiones, in an interview with El Territorio.
This is not the only challenge that the citrus industry faces in this Argentine region. In recent years the cultivation area has been in decline due to the presence of sooty mold in crops, a type of fungus that usually affects citrus groves and causes the fruit to be unfit for consumption.
In addition, the activity has been strongly impacted by the incompatibility of registered employment with social plans. “We are losing more than a million kilos of lemons because there are producers who do not want to work without being registered in the Afip, as they would stop receiving social benefits,” Ricardo stated, adding that producers were also concerned about the theft of crops.
The theft in the fields has not diminished and continues to affect citrus farmers economically, putting at risk consumers who are sold fruit that is not subject to any type of control. “There are more people stealing than people dedicated to the harvest. Fruits are stolen in large quantities and they end up being sold illegally, without being cleaned and without controls, to the greengrocers,” the producer complained.
Source: elterritorio.com.ar