Spain exported a larger volume of fresh strawberries during the first five months of this year, figures published by the country's ministry of agriculture have revealed.
According to the ministry, Spanish strawberry sales to export markets rose 16 per cent to 243,000 tonnnes during the period January-May 2012.
Other information released by the government, meanwhile, suggested all of the country's fruit crops – with the exception of apricots – would be smaller in 2012.
Curiously, the ministry also predicted that apple and pear volumes would fall 8 per cent and 12 per cent respectively, despite the Spanish topfruit industry forecasting a 24 per cent downturn for both categories at the recent Prognosfruit conference.
Having estimated that Spanish apricot production would increase by 59 per cent this season, the country's crop is now more likely to be 29 per cent higher year on year, the figures suggested.
Spain's peach crop was estimated to have contracted by 7 per cent, with its nectarine production 10 per cent down on 2011.
Cherry output is expected to have fallen 7 per cent to 93,000 tonnes, while the plum crop looks set to be 3 per cent smaller at 223,500 tonnes.
