Leading members of Spain’s fresh produce sector have voiced their anger at the recent European Union-Mercosur trade agreement, which they claim poses a “serious threat” to the future of the country’s fruit and vegetable producers.
Maritina Hernández, agriculture minister for Valencia, has warned that the deal between the EU and the Latin American trading bloc, which has been designed to ease restrictions on exports, could cause a “displacement” of the region’s fresh fruit offer.
At a press conference, Spanish agricultural organisation Coag argued that the agreement could have a “catastrophic” impact for both the European and the Latin American agricultural sectors.
Coag secretary general Miguel López claimed that such trade deals only benefited large groups or multinational companies, arguing that it would have the effect of “destroying” family farms in both “the north and the south”.
Mr López said that bananas, melons and citrus could be among the sectors negatively affected by the agreement.
Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca from regional association Asaja Murcia claimed that the Spanish government “could not have chosen a less opportune moment” to sign such a trade deal.
“With the worrying crisis and the serious lack of profitability as a result of the fall in prices, the opening, with advantageous conditions, of European markets to Latin American producers could be the fatal blow for thousands of Murcian, Spanish and European growers that may have to abandon their farms,” he argued.
