Almeria producers are closing the cycle of the year's aubergine supply. It is not the only crop doing this, but as indicated by the president of Asaja-Almería, Francisco Vargas, perhaps it is the most noteworthy one in this regard, since many companies are using aubergine to maintain relationships with the customer throughout the year, staying active in the summer months. Andrew Gongora provincial secretary of Coag said, "if you look at the closing prices from September to September, you can see that during the summer aubergines are being sold at higher price." For the leader of Coag, it is clear that "the problem in sales lies in the province itself because, it is sold cheaper than when they enter production elsewhere, both nationally and internationally."
Asaja´s President explained that, in recent years they have seen a progression of hectares for the cultivation of aubergine. "80% of the area is transplanted between February and March, and the remaining 20% is earmarked to supply the market during the summer in the months of July and September." However, Vargas also said, "the plantation has a higher life span than eleven months and this allows the farmer to keep growing almost to the end of the year." The transplant conditions, mean the investment per hectare is less even if the seeds are amongst the most expensive. For example, while in a greenhouse of a hectare 20,000 pepper plants are transplanted, for aubergine 5,000 are needed, which including seed costs, the investment may be around 5,000 Euro. One method that has been used in the province, by a group of producers is to keep planting "up to three years," said Andres Gongora, "pruning the plant and waiting for regrowth to re-collect. It is a crop that allows it."
According to what Vargas says, this year's average price for this product has fallen over 70%. In Summer the product has entered areas traditionally important as Levante. The explanation that is found from Asaja is that "in the province, most of the traders have aubergine amongst their products, which translates into to lower prices. Furthermore, this progressively increasing area, can influence a greater volume offered at certain times. However, there has been no major changes in this aspect.
For Andrés Góngora, the urgent need to produce all year is only motivated by the decline in profitability in the natural growing season in Almeria. To continue cultivating, many farmers do not let the land rest, something that is not good for farming as determined by existing studies.
Source: Ideal