Heavy rainfall in Spain is leaving its mark on Spanish avocado cultivation. "When it rains, there is no harvesting. At the moment, there is a lot of rain and wind in Spain, which makes it almost impossible to pick," says Xavier Halsberghe of the Spanish company Eurofresh.
© Eurofresh
"As a result, supply is limited, and retail demand is rising sharply, especially for organic avocados. In the wholesale markets, we see sales fluctuating strongly from day to day. There is no longer a consistent pattern in wholesale demand. Because of the high prices, wholesale customers have become somewhat more cautious when buying avocados."
© Izak Heijboer | FreshPlaza.com
"Prices are therefore rising sharply. Conventional avocados (size 18) are trading at around 17 euros, while sizes 12 to 16 are a few euros higher. Organic avocados are still about 20 per cent more expensive," Xavier explains. He expects to be able to supply Spanish avocados until mid-February. "That means we will still have nicely ripened avocados available when the first avocados from Peru arrive."
Sales at Eurofresh are mainly focused on France, Scandinavia, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, and parts of Eastern Europe. "Within retail, we do see a shift, with green fruit gradually making way for ready-to-eat products. We also see more and more avocados being packed in pairs or threes. For now, however, the main focus is on meeting demand," Xavier says.
© Eurofresh
The company, which besides ripening facilities in Spain also operates a warehouse in Poeldijk, markets mangoes and avocados both organically through Eurofresh under the BIORIGIN5 brand and conventionally through its second branch Avocoop under the ORIGIN5 brand. "We grow in five origins on an area of +3,000 hectares, namely Chile, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, and Spain. We were pioneers in introducing organic avocados in Peru, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic," Xavier concludes.
For more information:
Xavier Halsberghe
Eurofresh / Avocoop
Tel: +34 635 663 315
[email protected]
www.avocoop.com
www.eurofresh.net
