The Melon and Watermelon Interprofessional of Castile-La Mancha has warned that certain commercial practices of large retailers have a "negative impact on the entire sector" and has said that the prices paid at origin for these products are unacceptable.
For this reason, it has demanded, in a press release, for an end to be put to "the imbalances of the food chain affecting these two products." In this sense, it has made a call to the administrations to "control the food chain's mechanisms through the application of new tools and thus prevent very serious problems for the fruit and vegetable sector."
"The commercial practices of retail chains are very negatively affecting the whole sector, since it is not feasible for the prices of these fruits to stay below the production and handling costs at origin, which stand at a minimum of 30 cents/kilo for watermelons and at 40 cents for melons," pointed out the Interprofessional, stressing that if distribution chains want to use melons and watermelons to attract customers, they should do so at their own expense."
They have also warned that if this situation continues, "it will lead to a significant reduction in the production volume of melons and watermelons in the medium term, which would have dire consequences for both the agricultural sector and the distribution chains themselves and, of course, for the economy of many municipalities where these crops generate thousands of jobs and wealth."
Source: eldigitalcastillalamancha.es
