Prolonged drought and constant heat shocks in Malaga and Granada will cause the Spanish mango harvest, which is about to begin, to be reduced by more than 80% this year compared to its productive potential. Many European chains have therefore decided not to reduce the volumes of their overseas import programs to be able to continue having this product on their shelves.
"The mango campaign is starting about two weeks earlier than usual due to the high temperatures. We will start harvesting shortly, because the product already meets the right conditions to be marketed," said Alvaro Martinez, of the Malaga-based company Axarfruit.
"The size and quality of the mangoes are very good this year, but the farms have almost no production, as we are missing more than 80% of the fruit that we'd normally have, and we are seeing this in all growing areas. We had never faced a situation like this before. It is really catastrophic, both for producers and for those marketing the product. We have invested heavily in the expansion and improvement of processes in the plants, as we will be missing the most important thing," said the manager of Axarfruit.
"This year, Spanish mango will become a luxury product," he said. "We are facing a very short season, and since there will be little fruit and it will be very expensive, many European distributors have aimed to ensure a continuous supply of fruit from the southern hemisphere, especially from Brazil. There is no supply of African mangoes, but there is also fruit from Israel. We believe that this year, Spanish mangoes will go mainly to supermarkets or more gourmet stores."
"We have been working hard for years to build up a customer network, and this year we will hardly be able to serve them," said Álvaro Martínez. "In general, Spanish mangoes have been gaining ground in traditional markets, as their quality is comparable to that of air-shipped mangoes."
According to the manager of Axarfruit, "water is becoming increasingly scarce, and together with the rising temperatures, this is making the cultivation of subtropical fruits very challenging in Malaga. We can endure a year like this, but we won't be able to withstand this situation if it lasts much longer."
For more information:
Álvaro Martínez
Axarfruit
Polígono industrial Carvajal s/n,
29718 Benamargosa, Malaga, Spain
+34 656 647 475
+34 952 549 562
alvaro@axarfruit.es
www.axarfruit.com