Spain: Strawberry not profitable in EU markets
This was stated by the president of the Association of Strawberry Producers and Exporters of Huelva (Freshuelva), Alberto Garrocho, to news agency "Efe". He doesn't get "how prices are so low, if we account for the products excellent quality in these last days".
According to his explanation, in the association they expected for a "considerable" drop in consumption since the Holy Week, "as there is not so much will for the fruit, as during winter, when weather conditions, mainly cold, are not that favorable, but more kilos were sold".
Garrocho defended the product quality and the excellent characteristics, mainly in the last days, showing to trust in a tendency change for May.
"With these sale prices at the moment, the farmers only get 0.35 to 0.40 Euro cents of profit, so there's almost not enough for production costs, so there's no profitability in the cultivation", he said.
In that sense, he insisted that the sector expects that in the next days, production will drop and consumption might raise when temperatures change, so "the investment made by farmers when facing May, has its benefits".
94% of the strawberry Spanish production is concentrated in the Huelva province, representing 33% of the total in Europe.
Presently, Huelva counts on a cultivation area around 6,400 hectares and the estimation for this campaign production is of 240,000 tons.
Source: Efe