With the pomegranate campaign coming to an end in Elche, Spain's main producing area, with about 90% of the country's production, both producers and exporters agree that the campaign has been a complete disaster, as despite the approximate 25% drop in production volumes as a result of drought, prices have been much lower than expected.
The main reasons for this are the Russian veto and the rapid increase of Spain's production, which has spread to other provinces, as well as that of third countries.
"Average pomegranate prices have dropped by around 20% compared to last season," explains a pomegranate exporter from Alicante, who attributes these results mostly to the Russian veto. "About 35 to 40% of the pomegranates exported in 2013 went to Russia, so the veto has had a great impact on exports this season."
At the same time, "it is clear that the pomegranate production continues to increase every year, and it is obvious that supply is growing faster than demand."
"Over the last two years, Turkey, Israel, Morocco and Egypt have all increased their shipments of the varieties Wonderful and Mollar, which has led to greater competition in Europe, and especially in the Arab Emirates and Asia, where pomegranate consumption is traditionally high," affirms the exporter.
"We believe that production will continue to increase in the coming years; consequently, if consumption is not promoted, we will face serious problems. At the moment, we are a little pessimistic," she says. "The sector is constantly seeking new markets for Mollar pomegranates, although this is not something that can be achieved in the short term."