El Ciruelo, a Murcian company, launched this year's national stone fruit season, becoming the first Spanish company to begin the season in open fields. This early start is enabled by the strategic placement of its estates, blending coastal zones with higher-altitude sites, which helps the fruit ripen sooner and spreads out production.
"Our earliest plantations are situated in Cabo de Gata on the Almeria coast, close to the sea, which results in milder winters and earlier harvests," stated Cristina Gutiérrez, El Ciruelo's Sales Director.
© ElCiruelo
The overall temperature has been cooler than in recent years, creating ideal conditions for fruit development. "In general, there has been a delay of several days compared with previous years, when springs were unusually warm. We can say that this has been a normal winter, like those of yesteryear, with an ideal number of chill hours and consistent rainfall. So far, there have been no episodes of hail or frost," Cristina stated.
"The harvest forecasts are very promising, with a high-quality crop, which is always good news. This week, we start exporting, and people are really looking forward to the start of Spanish stone fruit exports," she stated. The season is starting with the first crops of nectarines, flat peaches, peaches, and apricots. The rest of the stone fruit, such as plums, cherries, and platerinas, will gradually enter the market over the next few weeks.
© ElCiruelo
Peach, nectarine, and flat peach yields are good, but apricot and plum yields will decline. El Ciruelo markets around 47,500 tons of stone fruit annually. "Every year, we continue to grow stone fruit production in a moderate and sustained way. This year, we are adding around 150 new hectares, bringing our total to around 1,500 hectares," she said.
The company is also advancing agronomic planning and variety renewal, adapting its crops to changing climate and market demands. "This work enables us to sustain stable yields, optimize schedules, and ensure quality fruit from start to finish of the season, through mid-October," Cristina emphasized.
© ElCiruelo
"The platerina has a very promising future ahead"
The company forecasts that platerina will see the highest growth in the coming years. "This is the first year we will have commercial volumes of platerina or flat nectarine, and our goal is to continue expanding," Cristina stated. She highlights that this species has considerable untapped potential, as previous cultivation methods caused significant damage and failed to convince growers.
© ElCiruelo
"With the new generation of varieties, there have been significant agronomic improvements, and we have high confidence in the platerina, which will be available from June to August. It is a very tasty product and easy to eat because of its flattened shape, similar to that of flat peaches. We believe its popularity will grow, as clients are already requesting more platerina than we can supply. The future for this fruit looks very promising."
At the start of this season, El Ciruelo strengthens its status as a key player in early stone fruit, solidifying a strategy grounded in planning and ongoing market adaptation. The company also emphasizes the crucial role of its people in season development. "The start of the season is the outcome of the coordinated effort of all our teams, whose daily work allows us to provide high-quality fruit from the very beginning," Cristina said.
For more information:
El Ciruelo S.L.
Alhama Highway
Cartagena, Km 2,5
30840, Murcia, Spain
Tel: +34 968 630 645
Email: [email protected]
www.elciruelo.com
