One step away from Extending the Standard for oranges and mandarins

The General Council of Agri‑Food Interprofessional Organizations (OIA) today endorses Intercitrus’ plan to approve the Extension of Standard and carry out promotion, R&D, and plant‑health defense. The Spanish Citrus Interprofessional Organization (Intercitrus) positively valued the support from the Ministry of Agriculture and the approval—granted today in Madrid—by the General Council of Agri‑Food Interprofessional Organizations (OIA) for its request to extend the standard. After the unanimous favorable vote in the OIA plenary session, the Government will publish in the Official State Gazette (BOE) in the coming days the approval of this extension, which will allow communication activities, improvement of the image of the national orange and mandarin sector and its juice, promotional campaigns, R&D projects, and actions aimed at plant‑health defense and the fight against pests and diseases. Intercitrus president Celestino Recatalá stated that “today is a key day for Spain’s orange and mandarin citrus sector. The willingness to engage in dialogue, the ability to reach broad consensus, and the tireless work demonstrated by all the groups that make up the interprofessional organization are bearing fruit. I want to thank all of them for their solidarity and dedication, always thinking of the benefit of the entire orange and mandarin sector. I also value the support we have received from the Ministry of Agriculture, which has been essential to reach this milestone, as well as the endorsement from the OIA, which is the step prior to the publication of the extension of standard in the BOE. This is only the beginning. From now on, we will implement the planned actions with unity and shared responsibility, because the challenges we face require an immediate, energetic, and decisive response.” The request for extension of standard submitted by Intercitrus and backed by the OIA includes, for the next five years, several lines of action with an annual budget of around five million euros. The main allocation—between 55% and 75% of the budget—will go to communication and improving the image of national oranges and mandarins (both fresh produce and 100% natural juice), as well as promotional campaigns to encourage consumption of Spanish oranges and mandarins in international markets.

R&D and Plant‑Health Measures

Research and development lines in the orange and mandarin sector will focus on a comprehensive plant‑improvement plan against Huanglongbing (HLB), the application of gene‑editing technologies, the development of new seedless varieties, and strengthening Integrated Pest Management. This section will receive between 18% and 28% of the budget. Finally, plant‑health defense and the fight against pests and diseases will include collaboration with and reinforcement of surveillance programs in the various autonomous communities that produce oranges and mandarins, with a budget representing between 10% and 20% of the total.

Mandatory Contribution for the Sector

The funding method establishes a mandatory contribution of €0.0006 per kilo of oranges and mandarins for both producers and marketers (i.e., €1.2 per ton), allowing Intercitrus to raise around five million euros per year for five years. To expand this budget, the interprofessional organization will apply for the upcoming call for European funds to finance promotional campaigns with up to 80% co‑financing. During his speech at the OIA plenary session, Recatalá highlighted the challenges the sector faces and that this extension of standard aims to address: trade globalization, the effects of climate change, tight profitability with skyrocketing production costs across the supply chain, aging of the agricultural population, declining consumption of Spanish oranges and mandarins, and a lack of specialized labor. Intercitrus’ presentation, based on official data, revealed that national production is experiencing a downward trend: the forecast for the 2025/26 season stands at 4.45 million tons—2.72 million in oranges and 1.73 million in mandarins—the lowest in 16 years, representing a 30% drop compared to the 6.3 million tons of the 2018/19 season. Likewise, exports in the 2024/25 season were limited to 2.36 million tons—1.29 million in oranges and 1.07 million in mandarins—showing a reduction of 817,000 tons over the last ten seasons.