Yucatecan citrus farmers prepare for the coming months of intense droughts

March, April and May, even June are months of intense heat and lack of rain that affect citrus plants; therefore, producers have to irrigate their crops during several hours of the day so that they are not affected later with scarce harvests.

(MERIDA, YUC. – UEFM).- The president of the Union of Citrus Farmers of the Mayab, Freddy Domínguez Aké reported that the citrus growers are preparing for the months of intense drought that are approaching with the beginning of spring in March, watering their plants during several hours of the day while the rains fall. 

He stressed that not all producers have irrigation systems, rather the majority of producers rely on hoses and water pumps on wells to be able to obtain water and irrigate their crops for several hours a day, and waiting for the rainy season rains to start in late May.

Domínguez Aké stressed that they are now taking advantage of the light rains caused by cold fronts to obtain the last harvests of sweet oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and sour oranges whose ripening season began in September 2021 and the cycle ends in March 2022, there was a good citrus harvest these months to supply the local market.

Finally, Domínguez Aké asserted that a good harvest of Persian lemons has not yet been achieved, while the price per kilo is high for consumers, that is, from 30 to 80 pesos a kilo, the box of 20 kilos is sold between 500 and 600 pesos, which benefits the citrus growers of the southern cone of the State, and a harvest of this product is expected around April.