On March 31, 2023, two agreements were signed to allow the export of almonds and kakis to China. The signing took place within the framework of Spanish President Pedro Sánchez's visit to China and will allow Spanish companies with registered plots to ship raw shelled almonds to China.
"This opens up the possibility for the Chinese market to obtain this product also from Spain, and not just from California," said Alejandro Regidor, Purchase Manager of Fruta de Autor, a Spanish company that has spent months with the preparations for the export of almonds to China, which included auditing plots and facilities, controlling specific pests and arranging all the necessary paperwork.
CEO Manuel Baides together with Alejandro Regidor, Purchase Manager of Fruta de Autor, at the processing plant.
The almond harvest is currently underway in Spain, where a lower production is expected compared to last season. "Almond exports to China will be limited this year, not so much because of the harvest, but because there are far fewer plots than what's potentially possible, as this is the first season with raw almonds being produced for this country. The crop volumes intended for China will reach the expected level, despite the generalized drop in the production in Spain. There will be an abundance of 12/14 mm sizes, and not so much of 14 mm+," said Alejandro.
The fat content of Spanish almonds is about 3% higher than that of Californian almonds, according to Alejandro. "This higher fat content gives it better organoleptic qualities and is highly appreciated for gastronomic purposes. In the mouth, Spanish almonds are a bit 'softer' than California's, but this is not due to differences in the water (moisture) content, but to its high healthy fat content. Since an almond's flavor potential depends on its fat, Spanish varieties are the perfect choice."
"In the development of modern varieties, one of the aims is to reduce the bitter content to non-existent or negligible levels. The strictest controls are carried out to avoid bitterness issues, so the quality of the raw material is guaranteed," says the Purchase Manager of Fruta de Autor.
"In this first campaign in China, we have focused on registering plots of Guara Type almond trees, which yield more abundant harvests, allowing us to obtain more kilos per hectare than with other varieties. Next season, other varieties will be introduced," he says.
Guara Type almonds.
Fruta de Autor offers not only raw shelled almonds, but also whole roasted almonds and roasted products. "As for the packaging, when doing it in bulk, we can use from big bags to vacuum bags, or any other packaging format the customer wants. Shipments are made in dry containers, since with reefers there is a risk of condensation on the upper part of the big bag that can pass onto the lower layers."
"We have been exporting to the Chinese market for a long time. We have continued to consolidate our citrus exports there, and now we are introducing kakis and almonds," said Alejandro Regidor.
For more information:
Lázaro Pérez
Fruta de Autor
M: +34 636 62 31 55
[email protected]
www.frutadeautor.com
