The pear harvest started a few weeks ago in northeastern Spain, with good demand and interest in the European markets, partly due to the decline in the Italian production. The apple harvests are also just starting with good volumes and quality, although with somewhat smaller sizes.
"We started marketing the first pears from this year's harvest a few weeks ago, and we are seeing quite a lot of interest, especially from operators in Italy due to the drop in the production in that country," said Pascual Aguilar, manager of Frutas Hermanos Aguilar, based in Ateca, Zaragoza.
"There is a very lively market for the Ercolini, Blanquilla, Williams and Conference varieties, and this is also reflected in the prices, since everyone wants to secure a supply of these products," he said.
"In the case of Conference pears, normal volumes and good quality productions are expected in Belgium and the Netherlands, which makes us fear the possibility of strong pressure on the Spanish market if domestic pear prices soar. The quality of the Spanish Conference is good, but it lacks russeting," said Pascual Aguilar.
Frutas Hermanos Aguilar is a family business devoted to the preservation, packaging and marketing of pome fruit and, to a lesser extent, stone fruit, of which they have had very little production this year due to the impact of spring frosts in their region.
The company has deals with producers in various growing areas, such as Zaragoza, Huesca, Lleida or La Rioja, among others, and distributes its fruit mainly through wholesale markets, focusing more on exports to eastern Mediterranean countries, such as Cyprus, Greece or Israel in the case of pears, and to Atlantic African countries in the case of apples.
The harvesting of the first Gala apples has already started in all of Spain. "In general, the entire country expects high yields of good quality Gala and Golden. The fruit is looking good, although sizes are smaller as a result of the high amount of pieces on the trees and the impact of drought," said Pascual Aguilar. "Sales, for now, are a little slower than those of pears, but we have almost no stock in the storage rooms and we hope that will help us in the coming weeks."
For more information:
Pascual Aguilar
Frutas Hermanos Aguilar
Av. San Blas, 15A,
50200 Ateca, Zaragoza. Spain
T: +34 976 84 23 13
M: +34 607218829
[email protected]
www.frutasaguilar.com