Citrus tries to rebuild at SP

Franca (SP), 15-In the State of São Paulo, crops were felled and orange gave way to the corn crops, sugar cane, tomato, coffee and even sweet potatoes. The change is a reflection of difficult years for the citrus. According to the President of the Federation of Rural Associations in the State of São Paulo (Faesp), Fábio Salles, the 2012/2013 season was the worst in the history of citrus, for lack of buyers and low prices. Revenue was r $ 850 million loss.
In the municipality of Cajobi (SP), for example, were grown 2.2 million orange trees until 2001, but today that number won't much more than 800 thousand feet. In the State, this reduction in crops is also felt and the expectation for 2012/2013 harvest in São Paulo is not the best. Not to mention the feet that were eradicated, close to 25 million, the drought from September to November last year also hurt crops. This year, production should not reach 300 million boxes, down from 380 million in 2012.
The agricultural engineer Jose Eduardo Alonso, President of the Union of Rural Aguaí (SP) and Secretary of agriculture, is citricultor and produces 100 thousand orange trees on your property. He says that the crisis in the sector has not yet disappeared, because the situation follows quite undefined, mainly with respect to price. He believes that there will be a 30% drop in production in the State.
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With a smaller crop, the expectation is that prices rise, despite high stocks in the industries. In evaluating Alonso, the output for the citrus industry would pay a fair price for the Orange. But he argues that this would only be possible with combating cartel that would be formed in the industry. "Today there are four large companies, who are trying to join and turn only two," he says. He says that the industry planted a lot of Orange to leave aside the producers.
The citrus crisis hit several municipalities in the State of São Paulo. Itápolis, in the central region of the State, has been the world's largest producer of Orange. But the city can lose the title with the reduction in crops that 14 million for 12 years, now has only 5 million.
Valdir Butarello is an example of escape from citrus. After betting on orange for more than 50 years, wiped out the orchards and leased its property to the cane production because I believe that the situation was untenable.
José Eduardo Lélis, Coordinator of the Special Commission of the Federation of agriculture Citrus in the State of São Paulo (Faesp), says that the industry pressure massacred producers. According to him, the Brazilian exports remained at the same levels, a sign that the bigger problem would be the same with the purchase price and control on the part of the industries.