Leading Spanish fresh produce export association Proexport has revealed that its members marketed close to 1m tonnes of fruit and vegetables during the 2007/08 season, a figure which marks a 50 per cent increase over the previous campaign.
In a statement the Murcia-based group said that despite suffering a “difficult campaign” due to the increase in production costs and unfavourable weather, output reached 985,501 tonnes. This total was achieved in part thanks to the incorporation into Proexport of grower association Alhóndigas and its 17 member companies.
Proexport’s shipments to external markets also rose during the campaign by 7 per cent compared with the season before to over 590,000 tonnes, despite export falls for several major products.
While lettuce and broccoli exports increased by 14 per cent and 6 per cent respectively, cauliflower shipments dropped by 22 per cent and melon exports by 11 per cent compared with the previous season.
The association said the UK, the Netherlands and Germany accounted for the majority (70 per cent) of export destinations during the campaign.
For the season ahead, Proexport president Miguel Durán said production volumes were likely to remain similar to the previous campaign, although he added that Murcian growers must “manage costs more efficiently” to remain competitive.
