In addition to the 1,200 hectares of open field cultivation, Savasun S.A. - part of the Staay Food Group - has nearly 50 hectares of apple orchards around the warehouses. The fruit production forms an ideal addition to the summer season for the permanent staff.
The harvest is nearly over now, and Ad van der Staay looks back on the season with satisfaction. "The kilos, sizing and quality were great this year."
Ad van der Staay
At the company in Vilanova d'Escornalbou in the Northern Spanish province of Tarragona, the varieties Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious and Golden are grown, and in winter Elstar is planted there. "That works well, but you have to be off the market when the Dutch apples enter the market. But we are about four weeks earlier, so that's going fine," Ad says.
"We removed all the pears. The Conference harvest was already in our way when we were busy with the Galas, and the Gieser Wildeman pears haven't been much in recent years either."
In addition to the Netherlands and Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom are also good buyers of the Spanish apples. "Due to the Russian boycott, we do miss out on some revenue. Russia was a pretty good client, the big Galas did particularly well there," Ad says.
"You know, you can forget about high prices with apples. There are so many apples worldwide. It's almost impossible for them to become expensive now. But we've had reasonable prices for the apples, and I'm not unhappy. The trick is to grow a uniform quality in the proper size. The size above 70 in particular still makes a bit of money."
Open field vegetable season
Savasun's production in Tarragona includes cauliflower, spinach, (curly) endive, lollo rosso, lollo bionda, oak leaf lettuce (green and red), Chinese cabbage, fennel, kale, celeriac (for the cutting plant), parsley (curly and flat-leaf), beetroot, romanesco, green cauliflower, spring onions, winter and spring leek, celery (white and green), broad beans, peas and pointed cabbage. The vegetables are grown along the entire coast.
"The cultivation plan is comparable to last year. Planting is now in full swing. About 60 percent is on the field. The rain of the past days has done the crop nothing but good. Of course we always depend on the weather, but if no weather extremes follow, our production will be in full swing in week 46," Ad concludes.
For more information:
Ad van der Staay
Savasun S.A.
Finca Mas Damia S/N
43311 Vilanova Déscornalbou
Spanje
T +34 9 77 83 74 32
F +34 9 77 83 70 94
bianca@savasun.es
www.savasun.es
Savasun S.A.
Finca Mas Damia S/N
43311 Vilanova Déscornalbou
Spanje
T +34 9 77 83 74 32
F +34 9 77 83 70 94
bianca@savasun.es
www.savasun.es