The Teatro Giner in Carlet (Valencia, Spain) hosted the event "Citrus: Productivity and Resilience 2025," organized by Interempresas under the theme "Pursuing Profitability and Sustainability." The conference brought together technicians, researchers, and key stakeholders from the citrus industry to assess the current state of the sector and explore future challenges, with a focus on international competition, technological innovation, genetic improvement, and product promotion.

During the event, Celestino Recatalá, president of Intercitrus, participated in the roundtable discussion "Roadmap of the Interprofessional Organization to Address the Sector’s Challenges." In his remarks, he highlighted the pivotal role of Intercitrus — Spain’s first interprofessional organization, established in 1993 — in driving initiatives to improve market knowledge, efficiency, and transparency. He also emphasized the organization’s commitment to R&D programs that foster innovation across the sector, as well as promotional campaigns aimed at increasing awareness and consumption of fresh oranges, mandarins, and 100% natural or freshly squeezed juice.

Recatalá announced a proposal submitted to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture for an extended regulatory framework designed to address the sector’s most pressing challenges. This proposal includes initiatives to enhance communication and public image, launch targeted promotional campaigns in domestic and international markets, and strengthen pest and disease monitoring systems. It also outlines a comprehensive citrus plant improvement plan to combat HLB, the use of gene-editing tools to enhance agronomic and commercial traits, and the development of new seedless varieties — part of a broader strategy to mitigate the issue of ‘pinyolà’ (seed presence in mandarins).

Overall, the conference served as a platform to define a forward-looking roadmap centered on research, differentiation, interprofessional collaboration, and adaptation to evolving market and consumer demands.