A Spanish growers’ leader is calling for a promotional campaign for the country’s table grapes in the UK and Germany.
Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca, secretary-general of Asaja Murcia in south-eastern Spain said: 'We believe it is very important to step up promotion of a product as important as table grapes. A minimum three-year promotional campaign for grapes from the Murcia region is fundamental to the achievement of this. The initiative should communicate the magnificent health benefits and vitamin content of the product.'
Germany and the UK are the largest destinations for Murcia’s grapes and Gálvez believes that in these mature markets where the Murcian fruit is already well known, consumption per capita from existing consumers needs to increase while penetration in newer markets in eastern Europe needs to be built up.
Asaja Murcia is also pushing for a supply-chain organisation that will bring together the whole sector, according to Gálvez.
'This potential organisation could be based in the city of Murcia and could co-ordinate communication and promotional activities with the aim of boosting consumption of grapes in eastern Europe as well as the EU countries,' he explained. 'This way, the grape sector could be better organised and concentrate grape supply at a national level and so we could reduce costs and add value which would have a positive effect on grower profitability.'
Meanwhile, Spanish exporter Gruventa has started its grape season this week with 'great quality,' Fermín Sánchez Navarro, managing director of the Murcia-based firm, has reported.
'Our campaign this year will be very international and we are expecting strong demand as we have a lot of confidence in the first picks of the season,' Sánchez noted.
Germany is the principal export destination for Gruventa’s grapes although the UK is an increasingly important market, added Sánchez.
