Strawberry producers in Spain, France and Italy have agreed to cooperate more closely in questions of marketing, developing joint promotions under the auspices of the European Commission.
This was one of the conclusions reached by the umbrella group for strawberry producers in Spain, France and Italy which met in Agen, France on Wednesday to analyse this season’s production forecasts and discuss how the three countries could improve collaboration in phytosanitary matters.
The group heard how strawberry output in Spain, France and Italy will be broadly similar to 2016, with well-staggered production and better quality than last season.
The improved outlook is largely due to the new varieties being planted.
Planted area in Spain and Italy is estimated to be around 5,400ha and 3,400ha respectively, while France is predicting a total crop of 45,000 tonnes.
The group reasserted its goal of strengthening cooperation in key areas, with Italy agreeing to join a Spanish and French initiative to harmonise rules on the use of phytosanitary products to control pests and diseases.
This would mean that a product authorised for use in one country would automatically qualify for use in the other states in comparable conditions.
