"Right now the market is quiet, coinciding with the August holiday period, but the fact that supply is so low means that prices will remain high. Additionally, high temperatures are delaying the harvest of the grapes with seeds, especially due to a slight lack of colour; therefore, we are in no hurry to sell," said Elena Núñez, marketing director of the company Frutas Campo de Blanca, from Murcia.
"In any case, despite the lack of colour because of excessive heat, the quality is proving to be superior compared to last year, with good sizes and higher sugar levels in both seeded and seedless grapes," she says. "At the moment, the grapes reach a Brix of between 18 and 22 degrees."
"With the sale of white grapes already concluded, at the moment we are working with seedless grapes of the varieties Royal Crimson and Autumn. Within two or three weeks we expect to start supplying red and black grapes with seeds," states Elena.
Almost 90% of the grapes with seeds were shipped to Russia
Frutas Campo de Blanca's table grapes are intended for export, mainly Europe in the case of seedless grapes, and until 20 days ago, Russia was the main destination for the grapes with seeds, as it absorbed between 80 and 90% of the production.
"The ban on the export of European goods imposed by Russia has made things much more difficult for us right at the peak of the campaign. The situation has forced us to seek alternative markets; something in which, fortunately, we had already started to work in recent years, negotiating with importers in countries like UAE, South Africa and Indonesia," explains Elena Núñez.
"This is not an easy job considering that each market has different preferences in terms of colour and size, packaging and even prices," continues Elena. "Russia is less demanding when it comes to the grape's colour, which gives us more room to manoeuvre. In any case, overseas shipments involve a thorough job in all aspects," she says. "But we will get through this; we can't just stand still," she adds.
This year, Frutas Campo de Blanca will once again have its own stand at the fair Fruit Attraction in Madrid, to be held between 15 and 17 October. "It's a show that is becoming increasingly more interesting, with a great influx of foreign buyers. This year will be especially important for Spain due to the situation caused by the Russian veto. Spanish companies have a chance to find new clients," concludes Elena Núñez.
Contact information:
Elena Núñez
Frutas Campo de Blanca, S.C.A.
T: +34 968776063
comercial@campodeblanca.com
www.campodeblanca.com