During the 2012/2013 campaign, Alhóndiga La Unión, Europe's largest cucumber marketer, managed to ship a total of 69 million kilos. "So far, we have already sold 52 million kilos, just like around the same time last season, and we expect to reach 69 million once again, as no weather adversities have caused a reduction in production volumes," says its manager, Jesús Barranco.
Nevertheless, even though the volumes shipped are similar, prices at origin in Almeria this year have dropped by around 20%. According to Jesús Barranco, "this drop in prices is not related to the stabilisation of the sales volume."
According to data provided by Andalusia's Prices and Markets Observatory, cucumber prices this week dropped to 0.21 Euro/kilo after a considerable drop in supply. The Almeria (or Dutch) variety is the most affected, as its production campaign is coming to an end and demand is shifting to other origins, like the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany.
French cucumbers, with an average price of around 0.30 Euro/kilo, have increased in value after a reduction in supply, while short cucumber prices remain stable, both in terms of price and production volumes.
"The fact that the Netherlands, our main competitor, has managed to advance the harvest due to the country's good weather has severely damaged us, driving prices down," continues the manager of Alhóndiga La Unión.
Jesús Barranco believes that Spain needs to invest in the improvement of logistics to be able to reach other markets in the same conditions as other producers, like the Netherlands. "The cost of air shipments is higher, and in terms of routes and prices, maritime lines are more competitive in Rotterdam than in Spain."
Alhóndiga la Unión continues to market its products all over Europe and is planning to enter the Middle East. "We keep expanding in Europe at the same rate as the chains we work with keep growing," explains Jesús Barranco. "We are now trying to establish ourselves in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, although they are very difficult markets due to logistic issues and their large populations."
Food safety has become one of the biggest priorities for distributors, and in this regard, Alhóndiga La Unión will increase its focus on safety and responsibility with new optional certifications. "We already have the IFS, BRC and ENAC, and in May we will receive GlobalGap's Grasp certification. We have also invested in new equipment for our lab to ensure the highest food safety standards are maintained."
Contact information:
Jesús Barranco
Alhóndiga La Unión
Polig. Ind. La Redonda s/n El Ejido (Almeria-Spain)
T: +34 950580800
marketing@alhondigalaunion.es
www.alhodigalaunion.es