The Cherry tomato campaign in the area of Granada is heading into 2013 with stable prices and good prospects. "After a summer campaign with very high prices, these were drastically readjusted coinciding with the latest harvest," says Javier Jiménez, Deputy General Manager of Fulgencio Spa S.L. "Currently the market is stable due to the Christmas demand and we expect this situation to continue during next year."
Located in Motril, in the Spanish province of Granada, Fulgencio Spa S.L. has always been devoted to the production and commercialisation of agricultural products, giving employment to 300 people per year on average and keeping long-standing trade ties with many clients in Europe.
"Although we work with numerous crops, the firm is specialised in Cherry tomatoes, in every colour, shape and variety, Dutch cucumber, green beans, and for a few years also Padrón peppers, for which we created a leading brand in the market," he explains.
While it is true that large volumes of Moroccan and Dutch produce are imported, Mr Jiménez affirms that Spanish cherry tomatoes are also available, offered sometimes at low prices, as they are not considered a reference product. "You only need to look at the offers in the German market to see this."
Unlike other areas, affected by excess moisture, tomato quality in Motril is good, "as in the last few years, lots of agronomical and varietal improvements have been made. This is the reason why moisture and rains have barely affected our final products."
There is continual varietal renovation, seeking for excellence in flavour. "In our case, we work very hard to homogenise the product all year long and avoid variations in quality and organoleptic properties," he states.
Cherry tomatoes at the stand in Fruit Attraction 2012.
According to Mr Jiménez, Cherry tomatoes are well-established in all markets. "Their consumption increases every year, which does not prevent occasional situations of oversupply."
Fulgencio Spa packs its tomatoes depending on the needs of the client, as many types of packaging are possible with the Cherry variety. "In our case, the most popular is the 250 gram plastic container," he explains.
"Our business is mostly in Europe, although we do not disdain our presence in Spain despite the difficult times we live in, and the Russian market, which continues to grow," concludes Javier Jiménez.
For more information:
Javier Jiménez Medina
Fulgencio Spa S.L.Avda. de las Palmeras,9
Carchuna-Motril, Granada. Spain
T: +34 958623136
[email protected]www.fsagro.com