Spanish strawberry acreage has once again contracted this season as producers switch increasingly to raspberries, blueberries and other soft fruits.
Figures from Interfresa show a 7 per cent fall in planted area to 5,800ha in 2016/17, while blueberry and raspberry acreage have increased by 30 per cent and 22 per cent to 2,538ha and
1,932ha respectively. Blackberry production now covers 160ha, up from 130ha in 2015/16.
“The contraction in strawberry production in favour of other berries, together with the buoyancy of the German, Polish and Dutch sectors, has led to a slight fall in Spain’s market share, and it now accounts for 70 per cent of the European market compared to 80 per cent before,” said Interfresa’s president José Luis García-Palacios.
Spain produces around 250,000 tonnes of strawberries, of which 96 per cent are grown in Huelva. Its biggest export markets are Germany, France and the UK.
