Oranges Were a Pandemic Pick-Me-Up Before the New Normal Set In
- Prices have dropped after quadrupling during the spring wave
- ‘People aren’t in the same panic mode,’ Greek grower says
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Citrus growers in Europe got an unexpected lift this year when people sought to boost their immune systems with vitamin C, but now even that coronavirus bright spot is fading.
Farmers in Spain, Italy and Greece were expecting to sell oranges for 20 cents a kilogram at the start of 2020, but prices in some cases quadrupled due to pandemic-induced buying in the spring. The latest rates for winter fruit are closer to seasonal norms, despite a resurgence that’s far worse than the initial wave.