The Spanish table grape harvest is starting in the region of Murcia about two weeks later than usual and against a backdrop of increased consumption.
"We are starting the grape harvest in the coastal area, almost two weeks later than usual," stated José Velasco, CEO of Grupo El Ciruelo. "Quality is excellent and budding's been good, which will allow us to start the season with a production of extraordinary quality," he stressed.
© El Ciruelo
"The weather had a positive influence on quality. The plants benefited from extra rainfall and a milder spring. As a result, the bunches have become longer and the grapes have developed better," he said.
El Ciruelo already has approximately 2,500 hectares devoted to this crop in Spain and expects to produce more than 70,000 tons this year, weather permitting. In 2019, they bought Labrunier in Brazil, which has more than 1,000 hectares devoted to grape production. Last year, both locations produced approximately 110,000 tons of grapes.
© El Ciruelo
"We are growing organically with more than 100 hectares of new plantings per year. In addition, 50 hectares are converted to new varieties, strengthening Spain's position as a supplier of top-quality grapes in Europe. We've prolonged the harvest planting crops in altitudes of up to 800m, and it now runs from June to the end of November," Velasco said.
Spanish grapes compete with those from countries around the Mediterranean. In the early season, with grapes from Morocco and Egypt, and then with the product from Greece. "In the extra-early segment, we can compete with Egypt and Morocco in terms of service and quality. We can't compete with them in labor costs, but they are starting to face challenges there," he said.
© El Ciruelo
"Greece operates in the mid-late window. However, Spain and Italy are better prepared. They have consistently incorporated and evaluated new varieties and adapted their farms better. Thus, they offer higher quality grapes and can supply European retailers more efficiently," he said.
Exports to Asian countries, including China, which opened in 2018, have slowed down and are no longer growing at the rate experienced in recent years. "Exporting to Asia has become a challenge. China also produces during our harvest period and exports to other Asian countries. This has increased competition considerably."
© El Ciruelo
Exponential Growth in Consumption in Spain
"The introduction of new, firm varieties and the efforts of supermarkets have made seedless grapes a commodity that is increasingly common in people's shopping baskets," Velasco said.
"In addition, weather conditions in the southern hemisphere countries were favorable, so there was an abundance of good grapes available. This led to strong growth last year," he added.
Velasco still sees significant potential for seedless grapes. "It is one of the easiest fruits to eat. They are a healthy snack for children, delicious in salads, in the kitchen, or as a dessert. That is why demand has increased exponentially in recent years."
© El Ciruelo
More than 2,500 tons of special varieties this season
El Ciruelo continues to focus on premium grapes, with its Moments by El Ciruelo brand for special grape varieties. This season, which runs from early July to the end of September, they expect to produce more than 2,500 tons of special grape varieties. This year, they're also reinforcing brand awareness through promotions and social media content, targeting younger consumers and positioning grapes as innovative and fun.
"We adapt to the formats and promotions that distribution needs. We have a new and innovative snack pack format that responds to our customers' needs and is marketed under the Your Healthy Snack brand. It contains 16 grapes, equivalent to one portion of fruit, helping consumers easily reach the recommended five servings a day. The grapes are washed and seedless, so you can take them anywhere," he said.
For more information:
El Ciruelo S.L.
Autovía Alhama
Cartagena, Km 2,5
30840, Murcia, España
Tel: +34 968 630 645
Email:[email protected]
www.elciruelo.com
