The Socialist Parliamentary Group's Agriculture representative, Manuel Soler, stated that "growers are standing strong against the recession we are currently suffering."
Soler explained that vegetables are giving Murcia's deteriorated economy a breather, as current prices are very profitable for producers. The most important vegetable crops in the region are lettuce, broccoli, artichoke and cauliflower.
The start of the harvest for these products takes place in early October and the campaign continues until May of the following year. Production reaches its peak in the spring and is at its lowest point in October and May, at the beginning and the end of the campaign.
The MP explained that the price growers are currently getting for a lettuce of the Iceberg variety amounts to 0.50-0.55 Euro per harvested piece, and that production costs stand at around 0.18 Euro. In the case of broccoli, the current price stands between 0.90 and 1.20 Euro/kilo, with production costs amounting to 0.39-0.40 Euro.
"These prices are for products with enough quality for fresh consumption." According to Manuel Soler, problems have arisen as a result of an excess of moisture caused by rains in the last few weeks, causing the spread of an illness in broccoli plants called Botrytis."
He explained that the plants affected present darker areas caused by rot, and are considered waste. The least affected ones are commercialised at 0.20 Euro/kilo. Furthermore, cauliflower prices stand at 0.60-0.70 Euro/kilo, with a production cost of 0.40 Euro. In the case of artichokes, growers are receiving 0.70-0.80 Euro/kilo for the one destined for fresh consumption, and for the lower quality one, destined to the canning industry, the price stands at 0.40-0.50 Euro/kilo, with a production cost of 0.40 Euro/kilo.
Manuel Soler added that growers not affected by excess of moisture or the latest floods will possibly "benefit from good prices from the sale of their vegetables until some time after Christmas."
Source: Abc