The Fruit Business Association of Catalonia (Afrucat) stressed that the Spanish peach has a higher quality and is more competitive than the French peach, which is why the production from Catalunia is sweeter, has higher profits and can be shipped for longer distances, thanks to the varietal improvements introduced. Manel Simon, CEO of Afrucat, stated his concern about the attacks on Spanish trucks in Perpignan and described them as a tantrum from the French sector.
According to Afrucat, one of the trucks that was attacked belongs to a company member of this association and their lawyers at Perpignan are already preparing a lawsuit to request appropriate compensation from the French Government.
Simon recalled that there had been similar situations in different campaigns and that there had been legal obstacles in France against the transit of Spanish trucks through their territory.
Simon also stated that France was the natural route for the export of fresh fruit for the rest of the European Union, Russia and Eastern Europe.
"France is uprooting much stonefruit and this campaign's prices are fair for small and medium calibres," argued the CEO of Efeagro.
The campaign, he said, began with low prices because, among other things, the harvest was advanced by about ten days, so there was a big offer even before buyers made plans to order the product.
However, he stated, prices of high calibre peaches continue to be good.
In the case of France, he added, "peaches are more expensive, have less sugar and are more problematic, while the peach from Lleida is sweeter and has a much higher quality."
He also said that the peach native to Italy is stressing prices in Germany and the Greek peach is doing the same in Eastern Europe; hence, he said the low prices issues are affecting the whole industry, not only France.
Afrucat denounced that the crisis management systems of the European Union were not working, a concept shared by the Assembly of European growing regions, the Spanish sector and the European Union.
According to Afrucat, Spain exported 52,730 tons of peaches and 66,747 tons of nectarines to France in 2013, while foreign shipments to all destinations amounted to 342,055 tons of peaches and 406 908 tons of nectarines.
According to the report, Catalonia exported 162,145.14 tons of peaches in 2013.
Source: Efe