Spanish fresh produce marketer Anecoop has recorded the “best results in its history” both in terms of sales and turnover despite the company’s 85 associated cooperatives suffering as a result of poor returns, including an 8 per cent fall in citrus prices.
Announcing its results for the 2008/09 campaign yesterday (16 March) at its general assembly in Paiporta, Valencia, group president Juan Safont said Anecoop had achieved a “historical record” of turnover, with the figure rising by 9 per cent to €467m compared with the previous campaign.
Anecoop also sold 19 per cent more fruit, vegetables and wine during the 12 months, with the total for the campaign reaching 672,057 tonnes.
However, outgoing Anecoop managing director José María Planells said the result was achieved despite considerably lower prices compared with the previous season, meaning that although the year was positive for the marketer it “was not a good one for farmers”.
Mr Planells, who will be replaced by Joan Mir at the end of 2010, said that prices for products sold through Anecoop dropped by an average of 11.36 per cent, which included an 8 per cent fall in citrus prices and a 19 per cent slump in those for other fruits.
The only positive trend for Anecoop's growers was a 9 per cent increase in prices for vegetables, he said.
Mr Safont said that the only solution for the company’s associates was to “concentrate their offer”, arguing that a “change in attitude” among producers and major agricultural restructuring was needed in order to achieve “unity and consistency”.
