The extension, for the third consecutive year, of the Russian veto on products from the EU on account of the conflict with Ukraine has triggered the alarm and raised concerns in the fields of Alicante and Valencia. The entire sector was looking forward to the aid measures planned by the EU to mitigate the losses. Last week, La Unió de Llauradors (Growers' Association) described the plan designed by the European Commission for the withdrawal of fruit and citrus as "insufficient."
The organization run by Ramón Mampel considers that, as has already been the case in the previous two seasons, the measures of the EC "have failed to push prices at origin back up and bring them to levels that ensure the viability of many farms devoted to the cultivation of citrus and summer fruits, like peaches and nectarines."
In fact, the sector believes that, in this third consecutive year of the crisis, prices at origin will fall below the withdrawal fees, which were already ruinous for the producers; thus, for every kilogram withdrawn, the producer loses ten cents to cover the production costs.
The maximum withdrawal price is 26.9 cents per kilo for peaches and nectarines and 34 cents for plums. It is 22.16 cents for clementines, 19.50 for mandarins and satsumas and 21 cents for oranges. In the case of lemons, it is of 23.9 cents, and for kakis it stands at 21 cents. "As has happened in the previous two seasons, the withdrawal price set by the EC has failed to bring prices at origin to levels that ensure the viability of the farms," added La Unió.
The organization alerts, for example, that the 38,000 tonne quota set last year for the withdrawal of peaches and nectarines in Spain was used up, and this year the quota has been limited to 11,500 tonnes, 61% less. Last year, more than 35,000 tonnes of citrus fruits were withdrawn and the quota for this year has been set at 16,600 tonnes. La Unió claims that, if necessary, the European Commission will expand the quota for the countries that most need it, like Spain.
Mampel denounced how, once again, a political issue, which has nothing to do with agriculture, is taking a toll on growers and ranchers in Valencia, and asked EC leaders to reverse this situation. The Maghreb countries, for example, have taken advantage of this blockade, which has already been in place for almost two years, and have expanded their commercial presence in the Russian market, mainly with fruits and vegetables, for example, tomatoes.
Source: laverdad.es
