Spanish apple producers will lose more than 52 million euro if this product's sale price does not increase by at least 15 cents per kilo before the summer. In the first months of this year, apple prices decreased by 3.5% and, if things continue this way, producers would be unable to face the rising production costs, according to the Spanish Federation of Associations of Producers and Exporters of Fruits, Vegetables, Live Flowers, and Plants, FEPEX.
In the last year, apple production costs have skyrocketed by 40% due to the increase in labor and, most important, because the increase in the price of energy has had an impact on the handling, purchase of packaging, conservation, and transport, triggering the costs in the field and in the fruit and vegetable plants.
In addition, based on data corresponding to the first months of 2022, national apple prices decreased by 3.5% over the same period of last year. The data was gathered by Infolineal, an information system on fruit prices in Spanish points of sale, and analyzed by the Fruit Business Association of Catalonia, Afrucat, an association integrated into FEPEX.
Catalonia, the main producer of apples, would lose 26 million euro, i.e.half of the total estimated economic damage. Aragon, Castilla y León would also be seriously affected.
"It is an alarming situation. Apple prices at the point of sale have not increased in relation to the rise in costs. In fact, they have decreased endangering the viability of the farms," stated Joan Serentill, the president of Fepex's Pip Fruit Committee. "There are still more than 26 million kilos of apple in Spanish warehouses that will be put up for sale in the coming months. Producers need to pass on the increase in costs to the sale price so they can at least end up with no losses and to avoid putting thousands of jobs at risk," Serntill added.
For more information:
Afrucat
Carrer del Corregidor Escofet, 64
25005 Lleida (España)
Tel.: +34 973 22 01 49
marqueting@afrucat.com
www.afrucat.com