"Spain: "Good tomato sales; less transport available"

The Spanish tomato productions are very irregular because of the weather. So says Ellen Kester from Horticola Guadalfeo from Motril. "We have had a cold period in November with a lot of rain. Admittedly less than in Murcia, but this has significantly lowered productions. In the coming weeks we will probably go back to ordinary volumes, but in Spain you never know. Due to weather conditions, everything can change very quickly. It remains difficult to make a good prognosis."

Ellen van Kester

"The demand for certain products is good, especially the fine cherry on the vine of different varieties and cherry plum tomatoes. The prices for these products is good, but has been low for a while. Because there is no major productions and especially England is taking a lot of loads, now everything is gone. It's wait and see what will happen in the coming weeks with the demand."

Premises Gauadalfeo

Generally, according to the Dutch sales person of the Spanish family company there have been many quality issues, especially smaller tomatoes. "There are lots of tomatoes split by the cold weather, especially the rain in November has caused problems, but these seem to be over now. A problem that is growing, is transportation. There are fewer trucks available, because there are not enough return loads. The trucks remain longer in the 'north,' empty, before they have return freight."

For more information:
Ellen van Kester
Horticola Guadalfeo
Ctra. Celulosa Km.199
18600 Motril
Tel: +34 958 60 23 04
Fax: +34 958 82 49 26
[email protected]
www.hguadalfeo.com