RS: Favorable climate provides greater intensity of color and flavor in citrus

In the Caxias do Sul region, the last week offered excellent weather conditions for bergamot and orange crops. According to the Conjunctural Information, produced and released this Thursday (03/06), by the Planning Management of Emater/RS-Ascar, linked to the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (Seapdr), the intense cold for May , high sunshine and high-volume rain benefited the plants in terms of health and the fruits in terms of obtaining greater intensity of color and flavor.

Such conditions also kept the fruit fly away from the orchards, after the attack and damage caused by the insect in April, reassuring citrus growers and relieving them of having to take measures to contain and evolve the pest population. Cultural practices of mechanical management of competing herbs continued to be carried out with mowing, cover fertilization on later cultivars and phytosanitary treatments, in addition to harvesting.

In terms of the market, the flow remains heated, having shown a buyer bias, although with clear signs of oversupply of some varieties. In the Soledade region, the harvest of bergamots and the maturation of other citrus species continue.

Summer Cultures

With the end of the soybean harvest, producers are already planning the next harvest by adopting practices such as collecting soil samples, applying lime in areas in need identified by the soil analysis report and planting cover crops.

The rains during the period delayed the corn harvest, which reached 92% of crops in the State, with the remaining 8% being in the maturation phase to be harvested.

During the off-season, rice producers who have stored product await changes in the market for new sales, based on the trend of price appreciation with the resumption of exports.