Italian company VI.P says it has noted an increase in demand for its Val Venosta-branded apples on the Spanish market this season as a direct result of what is thought to be the smallest European crop in two decades.
The group exhibited at last week's Fruit Attraction trade exhibition in Madrid, where it noted a larger-than-usual number of visitors to its stand and a sharp rise in enquiries about a range of apple varieties supplied by the South Tyrol-based firm.
'Although our core business on the Spanish market remains Golden Delicious, with its typical red mountain blush, we also saw a lot of interest for Gala, Pinova and Kanzi,' revealed Fabio Zanesco, commercial manager at VI.P.
Zanesco also suggested Fruit Attraction offered a useful meeting point for those looking to kickstart their apple sales in the wider Mediterranean region and beyond.
As well as Spanish and Portuguese buyers, the event is understood to have attracted a good number of interested potential customers from North Africa and the Middle East, as well as a smaller number of South American importers and buyers.
'This fair has already secured an important place in the international scene and we believe it can grow further, providing all of the major players with a fundamental opportunity to meet at the start of the campaign,' he said.
