The company Kiwi Atlántico, based in the municipality of Ribadumia, will expand its facilities and production thanks to a 1.4 million Euro subsidy from the Government of Galicia. One of the objectives is to become a leading producer of the fruit's exotic varieties, such as the yellow and red. The Councillor of Rural Affairs, Ángeles Vázquez, visited the headquarters of the company in order to check the company's needs first-hand. Vázquez was received by the president, José Pérez Expósito, and the general director, Carlos Vila.
The Councillor highlighted the great growth achieved by the company, as well as the importance of the aid granted so far by the Council of Rural Affairs. She explained that subsidies worth € 24 million have been given to the 144 industries that have applied for them, underlining "the important work we have been doing in the rural environment, where we are making a great effort, and our work will continue in the same line."
Vázquez has praised the work carried out by the company, "which has been able to control all links in the chain, as they are producers, processors and distributors," assuring that Kiwi Atlántico bears the name of Galicia wherever it goes.
The general director, Carlos Vila, thanked Vázquez for her presence and the investment from the Council, and stated that "there was a need to have a larger acreage to grow, not only green kiwis, which is what we produce most, but also more exotic varieties, like the yellow and red," he points out, reporting that these will be sold in upcoming campaigns.
Vila stated that sales growth should lead to greater investments in machinery and other areas in order to expand the production volume, and that is why the money received will be used to carry out an expansion process that will continue until 2019 and which will also serve to expand the current facilities.
Growth
Kiwi Atlántico, which has been present in the market for more than 25 years, has recorded continuous growth over the last two years, increasing its production by 2,000 tonnes, and the prospect is for the production to grow by 10% or 20%. "The fruit will be of a smaller size," explained Vila, "but that won't have an impact on its quality at all." They mainly produce green kiwis, but at the moment 12 hectares are already devoted to yellow kiwis, and they expect that to exceed 20 hectares within four or five years; something that they also want to do with the red kiwi variety.
As explained by the director of the company, the majority of sales correspond to the Spanish market, although they also export abroad. In Spain, approximately 70,000 tonnes of kiwis are consumed, of which 14,000 are produced domestically. The target of the company's 70 partners and 20 associated producers is for the profit to increase by 2% in the next two years and remain a pioneer in the marketing of this product in Spain.
Source: farodevigo.es
