The new Commercial Director of ProChile in Spain, Roberto Paiva, and the Marketing Director of ASOEX for the Asian and European markets, Charif Christian Carvajal, paid a visit to Mercamadrid to get to know the process of arrival of the Chilean fruit, the way in which it is distributed, and to establish contacts with importers to discuss the current 2016-2017 Chilean fruit exports season.
"Mercamadrid is Spain's most important wholesale market for fresh produce, such as fruit and vegetables, and the largest wholesale market in Europe. Thus, it was important to visit it with the new Director of ProChile, and to talk with the companies and importers there," said Carvajal.
The Marketing Director of ASOEX stated that Mercamadrid marketed more than a million and a half tons of fruits and vegetables every year, and that the Chilean fruits stood out in this market.
According to data from the Association of Fruit Exporters of Chile AG (ASOEX), during Chile shipped 37,503 tons of fresh fruit to Spain in the 2015-2016 period, i.e. 31% more than in the previous season.
In terms of exported species, kiwifruit ranked first (with 25.1% of total exports), and were followed by red apples (21.3%), table grapes (15%) and avocados (14.7%).
Mercamadrid
This 2,215 square-meter Spanish wholesale market of fresh products caters to about 12 million consumers, within a 500-kilometer radius. There are more than 800 companies installed in Mercamadrid. This wholesale market generates more than 8 thousand direct jobs and more than 30 thousand indirect jobs.
The market includes Madrid's Central Fish, Fruits and Vegetables Markets, as well as the Meat Market, multipurpose companies specializing in the food sector and a wide range of service companies: industrial refrigeration, conservation, logistics, transport, and handling, among others.
It is the largest European market for perishable food and the second biggest Central Fish Market worldwide, after Tsukiji, in Tokyo.
Source: SimFRUIT