Harvesting is halted on a property in Tatuí, southwest of Sao Paulo, in Brazil. About 60% of the production is lost on the ground, informed Globo Rural.
Much of the fruit is rotting in the orchards and what was harvested is rotting in the boxes. The reason is the lack of buyers. "We send the fruit for processing, but not even the contracted fruit is getting there. I believe that more than 3,000 boxes are being thrown away everyday", explained Osni Hessel, farmer's administrator.
At another property the problem is the same, tons of oranges are being thrown away. 220,000 boxes sold, but the rest, about 15,000 boxes, were not even harvested. The property's administrator said that there's no one who wants the fruit. "The industry doesn't even want it for free", said João Dias.
Farmers are afraid that the situation could get worst, since starting in April a new orange harvest starts, with a bigger production that the one being harvested just now.
