The autumn cycle of Huelva's raspberries is coming to an end and a new harvest is starting which will last until spring. Thomas Cera, commercial director of Bionest, a company specialised in organic products, has analysed the situation of organic raspberries, as well as of the overall developments made in the production and consumption of organics.
Organic raspberries better than conventional ones
"We can supply organic raspberries from September to June, either free varieties or belonging to a group, in order to provide our customers the best product possible," explains Thomas.
"Compared to other fruit crops, raspberries are wilder and more robust, which allows for year-round availability with rotations, which is important in the management of diseases in the field. It is true that, unlike conventional crops, they achieve low yields per hectare, but the results in terms of flavour, shelf life, fruit size and texture are even better than those of conventional raspberries."
According to Thomas Cera, the trend for conventional products is to reduce pesticides and MRL residues in order to obtain a healthier product. "In this sense, at times when we cannot sell our product in the organic segment, it is still very much appreciated because of its high added value."
The increased supply of organic raspberries affects the conventional
"While we work in the organic segment, what happens in the conventional market affects us directly. This year, there has been a very sharp increase in the acreage of conventional raspberries, which has caused prices to fall due to the greater supply. The production of organic raspberries remains very stable, but we are forced to lower our prices, since a big price gap would make sales more difficult," he points out. "Organic fruit is already more difficult to sell, and if we also take into account the fruit's high nutritional value, it becomes a truly niche article," he adds.
Organic raspberries diversifying their sales channels
Despite the fact that supermarkets remain the largest sales channels, according to Thomas Cera there is a growing interest from wholesalers and specialised fruit retailers. "At first it was very difficult for us to supply small quantities to wholesalers, but they are now more organised and specialised, with enhanced product knowledge which is leading in the path of professionalization," he affirms.
Consumption of organics starting to take off in Spain
According to Thomas, organic products could account for about 10% of the country's fruit and vegetable production; a significant share, considering that it barely existed a few years ago. There is also a remarkable growth in the consumption of organics, which are becoming popular in the big cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Seville or in the Basque Country.
"It is true that, in the countries where there was a boom in the consumption of organic foods, some degree of stability has been reached, as is the case in the UK, which was likely the pioneer in this segment. Denmark and the Scandinavian countries register high consumption volumes of organic product and Switzerland is perhaps the country with the highest demand today. Worth noting is the significant increase in consumption in France over the last three years and in Spain there is starting to be an upward trend," he explains.
"Since we started supplying organic products to El Corte Inglés in 2005, consumption has been stagnant, but over the last two years we have noticed an awakening interest. There is a specific arrangement for organics in the supermarket now and this is boosting consumption. Other supermarkets are still hesitant about including fresh organic fruits and vegetables to their available range, although dehydrated products are available."
For more information:
Thomas Cera
BIONEST
T:+34 959 450656
M:+34 648745297
thomas@bionest.es
www.bionest.es