The first half of the organic strawberry campaign in Huelva has already been completed, and the availability of blueberries has reached its peak.
"From April, we will have more raspberries and we will start with the first blackberries. Although the strawberry and blueberry productions were limited at the beginning of the season due to delays, the volumes picked up with the arrival of good weather, reaching the usual levels for this time of the year," says Juan María Rodríguez, manager of Flor de Doñana Biorganic.
Based in Almonte, Huelva, in the vicinity of the natural park of Doñana, this company has been specialized in the production and marketing of organic red fruits for twenty years. "We are the only berry company in Huelva dedicated exclusively to the cultivation of organic berries," explains Juan María Rodríguez. "It is very difficult to grow these products organically, since an intensive use of technology becomes necessary, taking into account the impact of the weather and pests, and their lower yields," he says.
Although competition with Morocco has increased significantly this year, especially in products such as raspberries and blueberries, Juan María says that, unlike conventional products, organic berries are not as affected. "It is true that there is a much greater availability of Moroccan and Portuguese products, but organic berries have kept their sales and prices more stable, despite the fact that the supply is starting to grow even in countries like Italy. Since there are very few organic producers, we are much less subject to the oscillations of the conventional market."
88% of Flor de Doñana's production (about 3 million kilos per year) is intended for export, mainly to countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland. Meanwhile, in Spain, promotions are being carried out in supermarkets, schools and greengrocers, thereby helping give a boost to the consumption of organic berries. Sales are made via wholesalers, which supply stores specializing in organic products, as well as supermarkets, and also via its own online store.
"We opened our online store 2 years ago, thereby becoming pioneers as a berry company in supplying the product directly to the final consumer. In Spain and Portugal, deliveries are made between 24 and 48 hours after the order is placed. Although buying online is a growing trend driven by social media, I do not think it will replace traditional trading. For now, we are pleased to be able to offer solutions to those consumers who, due to their location, do not have easy access to organic berries in stores," explains Juan María Rodríguez.
The company is also considering the introduction of new crops, such as pomegranates and Goji berries. "The pomegranate is a more traditional crop in Huelva and we would like to bring it back, but Goji berries are still very much a small, niche product, even though they are considered a superfood. Thus, given current trends, with the search for healthy lifestyles, it could offer us interesting business opportunities, although on a smaller scale, compared to the rest of red fruits."
For more information:
Flor de Doñana Biorganic
+34 959 02 63 32
juanmaria@flordedonana.com
www.flordedonana.com