AILIMPO is an interprofessional association, based in Murcia (Spain), officially recognised by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the European Commission, which represents the economic interests of producers, cooperatives, exporters and industrialists of lemon and grapefruit in Spain. This is a sector in which Spain is the world leader in fresh exports and occupies second place in the ranking of processing countries. It has an annual turnover of 700 million euros, generates 20,000 direct jobs and a turnover in auxiliary industries of more than 250 million euros.

For AILIMPO, sustainability is the new paradigm and for this reason we work on a 3 pillar scheme: Economic, Social and Environmental.

Carbon footprint. Lemon plantations in Spain have a great capacity to capture atmospheric CO2. Specifically, the net fixation of the crop amounts to 360,550 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Water use. Lemon cultivation in Spain is a model in the optimal use and management of irrigation water thanks to the investments made in storage and distribution infrastructures. In this way, 84% of the cultivated area uses localised irrigation systems, making more efficient use of water resources and plant nutrition. This situation has led to an increase in productivity, which is currently 274% higher than 30 years ago, and has also meant that the water footprint of Spanish lemons is currently 173 m3/t lower than in 1990 (39% less). 

Biodiversity. AILIMPO aligns the future of the lemon and grapefruit sector with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN) and the European Commission’s Green Pact. Among the most innovative biodiversity projects in this field, the sector has joined forces with ANSE to promote the conservation of the Bigeye Bat (Myotis capaccinii), which is endangered but very beneficial for natural pest control.