"We are seeing that as the stonefruit production grows in Spain, the prices paid at origin are falling year after year and have already crossed the red line when it comes to profit margins," states José María Naranjo, Marketing Director at Tany Nature, the most important private company integrating the production, packing and distribution of stonefruit in Spain and Europe. The company was again present at the London Produce Show this year.
"I am surprised that there are interesting actions to encourage the consumption of many types of fruit, but in the case of stonefruit, however, there are no joint promotional actions, beyond price reductions for large distributors, or the allocation of funds for the fruit to be used for the production of juices. We are coming to terms with the fact that stonefruit is largely unknown in the European markets, and this is clashing with the great production growth we are currently seeing in Spain. There are many people who don't know what a plum is and are not familiar with their many health benefits and high antioxidant and energetic value. Most consumers know very little about them," explains José María Naranjo.
While the stonefruit season used to kick off with small volumes and these only increased when the summer started, today, in the middle of spring, Spain already has large quantities of extra-early fruit, mainly from Andalusia and Murcia.
"I firmly believe that we should carry out joint strategic plans that involve producers, distributors and supermarket chains, and, of course, with the support of our politicians. I believe that is more necessary than relying on fruit withdrawal plans. Given all the varietal development and investment and efforts behind our productions to meet the needs of our customers, it is very sad that the fruit ends up in the processing industry for the production of juices, compotes or jams," he points out.
According to the producer, there are already some promotions to boost the consumption of stonefruit in schools carried out by associations such as 5 a day, with which they aim to raise children's awareness of healthy eating habits through fruit consumption.
"It would be very interesting to appear on television, without the need to name any particular brand, simply to announce the season, talk about the benefits of this type of fruit; how it helps staying hydrated during the hot months, etc. There are many other products on the market that are increasingly attractive to consumers, not only because of the varieties, but also because of the good marketing carried out by those sectors, and this is making stonefruit disappear from the shelves, despite the fact that it has always been the summer fruit par excellence, together with melons and watermelons."
We must focus on maritime shipments to send the best fruit to China
Last year, after the opening of the Chinese market for Spanish stonefruit, Tany Nature made its first tests.
"This year, we will continue testing. Nevertheless, with the transit time that we have at the moment and the quality parameters that importers in that country demand from us, we are not prepared to send large volumes. The companies in the sector are already making interesting investments to continue advancing in production techniques, varieties and facilities to develop a commercial route with China, because if we are able to supply their consumers with what they require, we will have access to a huge market."
"When it comes to transport by air, it is more difficult to make progress, since we haven't yet found the infrastructures with which to collaborate in Spain. Because of this, we cannot risk sending fruit without refrigeration, so we must focus on maritime shipments, adapting to ensure that the fruit has the best flavour, plenty of juice and a crisp texture after a journey lasting for more than thirty days, so that we are able to compete with the local productions."
At the same time, José María Naranjo warns those exporters who traditionally ship goods to Europe and are looking for alternative markets "that China does not allow mistakes. It is a serious error to think of China as a replacement for Russia." The issue is that, before the veto, Russia absorbed large volumes of fruit and many productions were planned in Spain in order to meet this demand.
For more information:
José María Naranjo
Tany Nature
Camino General. 1. Zurbarán. Badajoz. Spain
T:+34 924 856 096
[email protected]
www.tanynature.com
