The general director of Afrucat, Manel Simon, and the general director of Food, Quality and Agrifood Industries of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (DARP), Carmel Mòdol, together with the chairman of the Stone Fruit Committee of Afrucat, Sisco Palau, have presented the forecasts for Catalonia's peach and nectarine harvest, which reveal a 27.5% growth, with a volume totalling 520,980 tons. By products, round peaches will grow by 18.5% (122,740 tons), flat peaches will record a 29.7% increase (142,590 tons), nectarines will rise by 33.4% (323,000 tons) and the pavia will grow by 11.4% (23,660 tons).
Compared to last year's production, these figures entail a partial recovery of the Catalan productive potential, since it has to be taken into account that in 2018, the production fell by 28% globally due to a number of factors (scarce, irregular and long flowering, a poor setting and the impact of frost and hail).
In Lleida's case, the production remains at 486,060 tons, which is 6% less than in 2017.
In Tarragona, the increase is not as great, given the impact of the sharka virus in the area and the uprooting of trees as a result.
Barcelona regains its productive potential, while Girona maintains its specialization in apples and sees its stone fruit production stand at a little over 1.5 tons.
The harvest campaign will start from 5 to 10 days early in some areas, and in others it could delayed by 2 to 3 days.
Drop in the number of hectares planted in Catalonia
This year, the decline in the number of new hectares planted with peaches and nectarines has continued. The acreage has been reduced by 6%, going from 22,673 in 2018 to the current 21,395 hectares.
Increase in costs
According to Sisco Palau, president of the Stone Fruit Committee of Afrucat, an additional problem is expected in the development of this year's campaign. He predicts a 10% rise in the cost of labor in the field and another 10% in the handling costs at the warehouse, which could represent around 3 cents more per kilo.
According to Palau, "if these increases are confirmed, it will be essential to pass them on to the fruit's price."
Uprooting plan
Lastly, Carmel Mòdol announced that up to June 14, growers will be able to declare the number of hectares devoted to peaches and nectarines which they wish to uproot.
Those uprootings may be carried out up until May 15, 2020, with the forecast of a net decrease of 2,000 hectares.
According to Carmel Mòdol, these uprootings should serve to increase the yield obtained by producers from their work and allow them to make a profit.
The DARP will encourage the replacement of these species with others that are more profitable or not so widespread.