LA UNIÓ de Llauradors (Growers' Association) has pointed out that the high temperatures of recent weeks have led to a considerable drop of the prices at origin of many winter vegetables.
The drop is so severe that, in some cases, it has been necessary to destroy a share of the production, given the absence of commercial outlets. If you check the data of the Observatory of Prices of the Regional Government, we can see how, over the last week, the price of cabbages (cauliflower, smooth cabbage, kale and broccoli) have fallen by an average of 52% and the price of artichokes or lettuce by 33 and 31%, respectively compared to the same period of the previous year. In the case of artichokes, the situation is somewhat different for the production protected by the PDO Alcachofa de Benicarló, where prices have been better than in other regions, given that consumers "appreciate and value the quality seal that certifies the product they are buying."
If we compare the prices with those early in the campaign, we can see that the price of artichokes has fallen in the Region of Valencia as a whole by 26%, while cauliflowers have dropped by 39% and broccoli by 73%; the latter has stood at prices of 11 cents per kilo, which is the lowest ever recorded. The problem is that the high temperatures registered in recent weeks have caused a temporary concentration in the production of winter vegetables.
Given this market disruption, LA UNIÓ de Llauradors has asked the Council of Agriculture to initiate appropriate action to put the appropriate prevention mechanisms and crisis management measures in place, as established by Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013. In this regard, LA UNIÓ proposes product withdrawals, including free distribution or use for animal feed in those cases where it was possible.
In this sense, LA UNIÓ has asked the Department of Agriculture to make use of the mechanisms provided by the CAP, as has the autonomous region of Murcia, which allocated an amount of 1.1 million Euro to cover the withdrawal and prevent a further sinking of prices. Within days, ten million kilos have been withdrawn in Murcia by about thirty operators. Most of the requests, accounting for about 8.5 million kilos, have been to leave the production unharvested; another small share (1.1 million kilos) has gone to animal feed and over 220,000 kilos have been donated to food banks.
More information:
LA UNIÓ
José Antonio Urquizu, head for vegetables
Tel.: +34 670 91 37 28+34 670 91 37 28