According to the latest data from the "World Citrus Organization", which follows the acronym WCO for its name in English, citrus production is on the rise worldwide. However, adverse weather conditions, such as strong hot and cold winds, can decisively compromise this trend. Libeccio and Scirocco, Arrigoni's 100% ecological solutions, respond to these threats.

These solutions protect the citrus orchard not only from unforeseen meteorological events, such as strong hail storms, but also the microclimate is improved thanks to the possibility of reducing the wind up to more than 50% and controlling the degree of shade. The results are proven with field trials: the physiological stress of the plants is minimized while the health and yield of the trees are improved, leading to a high quality of the fruit and an increase in productivity of more than 30 %.

Moderate winds are welcome in agriculture: they help the pollination process, remove cold and humid air, and reduce the risk of fungal diseases. Strong winds, on the other hand, can be one of the biggest problems for growers, both for sheltered and open crops. As wind speeds increase, plant growth slows down and is limited, resulting in a reduction in fruit quality and yield.

Arrigoni's first solution, Scirocco, is a high-density polyethylene mesh stabilized against ultraviolet rays, with an air permeability that can vary from 33 to more than 60%, depending on the chosen textile pattern. The Libeccio range is another ideal solution for growing citrus in areas even subject to wind storms. In fact, it is a Raschel mesh windbreaker protection available in different types depending on the areas for which it is intended.

Available in the transparent version, LIBECCIO 50 TRANSPARENT, acts as an anti-hail, as a protection mesh against frost and provides moderate shading, in order to create the ideal microclimate within the orchard, favoring the full development of the fruits. Specifically, field tests have shown lower temperature fluctuations, better humidity conditions and greater efficiency in the use of water. Lastly, the facility also creates more favorable conditions for workers, without hampering their labor-intensive operations.

Besides the wind, there are other factors that influence the quality of citrus fruits, such as high insolation and hail. The protection nets that best respond to these risks are Iride Multi Pro extra - woven mesh with a shading factor of 8% - and Fructus 5/4, a hail protection mesh in high-density polyethylene monofilament with a shading factor of 6 %. In addition, field tests have shown that Iride Multi Pro Extra also favors the cultivation of seedless citrus fruits, more appreciated by the consumer, since it controls cross-pollination, the main cause of the formation of seeds within fruits.

The latest data published by the World Citrus Organization predicts an increase in citrus production for the 2020/2021 season in many of the countries that are today among the largest producers. Just to name a few, Spain, Italy and Greece forecast an average growth of 10%, with a total volume of 11,559 million tons. Emerging realities such as Tunisia and Morocco also show double-digit growth, respectively of 20 and 13%. Other major producing countries such as Israel, Egypt and Turkey, on the other hand, expect declines of 4, 8 and 15% respectively in their volumes, precisely due to adverse weather conditions and atmospheric events.