"After a tricky start to the stone fruit season, with several parts of Murcia being hit by severe hailstorms, we are now going to start loading from northern Spain," says Paul van Groningen of Hudepa, who, together with his wife Maria Elena, operates as a commercial agent from Spain.
© Hudepa
"Cherries and apricots have already been available for over a week, but with nectarines, peaches, and flat peaches, we will begin the first shipments this weekend. Expectations are that the quality will be significantly better than what we've seen on the market in recent weeks," says Paul, who works with several growers, aiming to find the right product for each customer.
"Prices are still at a fairly high level. There certainly isn't an oversupply yet, and the costs of cultivation and labour have clearly increased here as well, so for growers it's also important to start earning a decent return. Given the reports of frost and poor weather in other European regions, I'm hopeful for a good Spanish season."
© Hudepa
"From the south, we are mainly handling watermelons now. Almeria still has product, but that's coming to an end. It was a good start to the season. We haven't had any issues with quality so far, and prices have also been strong. Next week, production from Murcia will begin," Paul says.
"So far, there's been no panic in the market; even Whitsun week wasn't particularly spectacular, partly due to the changeable weather. But with more sunshine in the forecast over the next two weeks, I expect things to gather a bit more momentum. After all, the tastiest fruit comes from Spain anyway, so let's get to it," Paul said.
For more information:
Paul van Groningen
Hudepa
Tel: +34 611 537 616
[email protected]
www.hudepa.com
