The stevedoring unions have suspended another three days of strikes scheduled for 10, 13 and 15 March, following the government's decision to postpone the debate and voting in Congress on the Royal Decree to reform stevedoring. This is the third time that unions have called off some of the strikes since early last February, when the government announced its intention to reform the stevedoring sector and to liberalise it in compliance with the EU rules.
However, this call and the suspension of strikes is not only generating great uncertainty in the fruit and vegetable sector in terms of imports and exports, it is also having a severe economic impact, both in the present and for the future. "The buyers can't purchase their orders nor can the exporters can prepare their shipments. The fact that the strikes have been called off two days before the departure of a ship doesn't help," explains Jorge Silvestre, of Frio Caribú.
Many exporters have already been unable to ship their goods on time, resulting in these being spoiled, and the same applies to imported fruit.
To be able to fulfil their commitments, exporters are resorting to other ports, such as those in Portugal, France or Rotterdam in the Netherlands. "Spanish ports are going to lose a lot of competitiveness after this," affirms the freight forwarder.
Citrus shipments to China and Canada are particularly affected, with exporters failing to meet their commitments with supermarket chains and importing wholesalers.
"We had everything ready to start working with China for the first time this campaign, but this situation prevents us from carrying out the first shipments. It is already difficult to prepare loads for such long trips, only for them to stay in the port for about ten or fifteen extra days. The risks are huge and this is happening to many exporters," explains a company from Seville, which exports citrus fruits.
"Given this situation, many supermarket chains in Canada are currently unable to offer certain Spanish products. Our customers, however, are being very understanding of this situation, something that is not often the case in Europe," adds the exporter.
Although the strikes for this week and next week have been called off, the call for another four days of strikes is still in place for 17, 20, 22 and 24 March.
The Spanish Minister of Employment, Fátima Báñez, confirmed her willingness to provide funds from her Department to an "aid plan complementary to the commitment from companies to protect the jobs and the sector's competitiveness to contribute to the reorganization of the sector in compliance with EU rules."
