The Spanish bundled carrot campaign is at quite an advanced stage in Cádiz, with good, stable volumes following a period of shortages. "From January to mid-March, we have faced great carrot shortages due to the abundant rains recorded in the months of October and November. Prices were high, but not enough to compensate for the drop in volumes," explains Jesús Lucas Rodríguez, of the commercial department of Virgen del Rocío, part of the Unica group.
"At this time, the production has already recovered and in the last 5 weeks, we have broken sales records by supplying an average of about 650,000 carrot bundles each week, mostly thanks to the high demand," he says.
According to Jesús Lucas Rodríguez, the price is remaining more stable than ever this year. He also points out that in recent years, the consumption of bundled carrots has been increasing again after leaving the worst years of the economic crisis behind.
Based in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, in the Spanish province of Cádiz, this cooperative specializes in the production of carrots in bundles and their sale through Unica Fresh. We ship 40% of our production to France, around 25% to Germany, 20% to the Netherlands and approximately 10% to the United Kingdom, while the rest is distributed in the domestic market, Poland and the Czech Republic, where this type of carrots is in demand for the first time.
The sandy area of Sanlúcar de Barrameda is ideal for the cultivation of bundled carrots, since the crop develops easily there, with homogeneous and perfect shapes. Unica cultivates the Amsterdam, Dantesa and Naval varieties, with a harvest period that lasts more or less from November 20 until the end of May.
"Unlike traditional bagged carrots, which can be kept for quite a long time in storage chambers, the carrots sold in bundles are characterized by their freshness, flavor and crunchy and juicy texture. As a result, they are often eaten fresh rather than cooked, either in salads or as a healthy snack."
Regarding their price, they are also more expensive than bagged carrots, since "their cultivation and handling are carried out completely manually (with the exception of the washing)," says Jesús Lucas. "We have approximately 300 people working daily in our facilities, managing to deliver between 14 and 16 million bundles per campaign, at an average weight of about 750 grams per bundle."
For more information:
Jesús Lucas Rodríguez
UNICA FRESH
M:+34687045760
T:+34 950 18 15 00
rodriguez@unicafresh.es
www.unicafresh.es