This Wednesday 18 March, the Association of Producers and Exporters of Fruits, Table Grapes and other Agricultural Products of Murcia (APOEXPA) held its annual general meeting, in which it analysed the prospects for the 2015 campaign, which is about to start, as well as the future challenges for the sector in this region. The meeting was closed by the President of the Region, Alberto Garre.
Among their immediate goals, APOEXPA partners, mostly devoted to the production and marketing of stonefruit and grapes, seek to enter new markets that can absorb the growing production. Among these markets, one of the most attractive for the sector is China, with which the Spanish Ministries of Agriculture and Economy have started negotiating the phytosanitary protocols necessary to allow the export of Spanish stonefruit to this country.
The meeting was also chosen as the stage for the presentation of new products and innovations to be showcased at the seventh edition of FRUIT ATTRACTION, the international fruits and vegetables fair organised by IFEMA and FEPEX, and to be held from 28 to 30 October in Madrid.
Murcia is one of Spain's major fruit and vegetable producers and exporters. In 2014, exports amounted to 2.175 million Euro, up 4% compared to 2013, and 2.5 million tonnes (+8%). Fruit exports amounted to 1,139 million Euro, up 6%, with lemons, grapes, mandarins, nectarines and peaches accounting for most of the turnover. The export of table grapes in 2014 stood at 174.4 million Euro (+8%); that of nectarines amounted to 75.4 million Euro (+3%) and the value of peach shipments totalled 64.1 million Euro (-3%). Also noteworthy were the results achieved by apricots, with 29.1 million Euro (-22%) and plums, with 17.6 million Euro (-8%), according to the Department of Customs and Special Taxes.