"We have just started with the cherry harvest fifteen days later than usual, although this year we have very good production compared to last year's bad harvest," says Sergio Alonso, of the commercial department of the Cosanse Cooperative in Zaragoza. "At the moment, due to the delay in other areas of Spain, there is not much production available in the market, and prices are high, but these will fall as the harvest develops, as the production volume is expected to be good across Spain," he said. For this cooperative, the cherry campaign will last about two months.
Regarding stone fruit, "we expect a delay of about fifteen days for all stone fruit species, although this may vary a bit depending on the weather until the time of harvest," says Sergio Alonso.
"Since the volume will be around 15% smaller, we expect less pressure on the markets and sales to go more smoothly. We have better prospects for this campaign compared to the previous one, which was really bad." The sector as a whole is starting to implement strategies to promote consumption in Spain, since we do not understand how a producing country like ours only has an annual per capita consumption of 4 kilos, compared to 18 kilos in Italy."
Cosanse's prospects by species:
For apricots, the cooperative expects to start in mid-June, with some delay, with a good harvest and the entry into production of some young plantations.
For plums, the production will drop by between 20 and 30% due to an irregular fruit setting.
For nectarines and peaches, the harvest will also be lower compared to last year, when a record volume was achieved. The costs of thinning have been lower, because there are fewer flowers on the trees. "We expect better sizes, and given the lower production, we trust that this will translate into better profitability for our partners," says Sergio Alonso.
Lastly, the Paraguayo peach production is expected to be normal, although with lower thinning costs and better calibres.
For more information:
Sergio Alonso Zaragoza
Sociedad Cooperativa Agraria San Sebastián (COSANSE)
T: +34 976600050
admincosanse@cosanse.com
www.cosanse.com