When it comes to grapes, and more importantly, Superior Seedless, confidence is running at something close to an all time high in Spain this year.
“We’re expecting great things,” says Rupert Maude, commercial director with one of Murcia’s largest grape producers El Ciruelo. “We think it will be one of the best seasons yet.”
Off the back of a rather dismal season last year, any improvement would have been welcome, but the figures are looking especially good. Total volume is expected to be in the region of 20,000 tonnes, compared with last year’s poorer output of 12,500t.
But volume is only half the story. “Quality is looking exceptionally good,” says Gavin Pearce, commercial manager with AMC Munoz. “A large amount of our fruit is class I, between 80-90 per cent.”
Overall, throughout the region of Murcia, class I makes up around 75 per cent of the crop, a complete reversal of fortune compared with last season, says Pearce. “Last year we were diverting product away from the UK to the continent.”
The second biggest market for Spanish grapes is Germany, where the quality requirements are significantly lower. However, the UK remains the preferred market.
“We aim for the UK,” says Pearce. “It’s a much more mature market and UK consumers know about grapes, and want the best quality.
“Germany can often start the season at good prices but then tail off, while the UK is much more stable on price. We’ll be sending around 70 per cent of our grape to the UK this season, mostly into the multiple sector.”
And that quality is vital he says: “It has got to be right. You don’t want to upset the consumer with the first buy, because then they won’t buy again until the season is over.”
The success of the Superior Seedless season is down to the weather, which has been dry and warm, without having been too hot. A lack of wet conditions is also important says Maude. “Wet weather is the natural enemy of the grape.”
Last year, uneven conditions caused problems with size, he says. “There was too much variation in the size of the berries, with very few large fruit. This year is much better and that makes selection in the field much easier. It gives us plenty to choose from.”
He says El Ciruelo is expecting close to 4,000t, a big improvement on last year, which saw the company harvest just over 2,000t.
Things can still change, admits Maude, but he remains positive: “Things could go wrong, if it gets really hot, or we suffer from pests. But I don’t think the weather will affect us too much and a plague of insects is not very likely.”
While Superior Seedless production may vary from season to season, it is kept in check by licensing arrangements that limit the Spanish production area to just 3,500 hectares. While this arrangement runs out in 2007, enabling unlicensed producers to get in on the act, Pearce says he does not expect to see an explosion in Superior Seedless production, with volumes being kept in place by the competitive market conditions.
When it comes to consumer tastes, he says the UK market prefers the milky green coloured fruit and does not see that changing in the near future.
He thinks it unlikely the market will segment to accommodate sweeter or sharper flavoured fruit. “It’s too much of a gamble leaving your fruit on the tree until it hits the right colour and sugar levels. It’s a dangerous game.”
While the warm weather has been good news for this year’s production, Murcia is facing significant issues when it comes to water. “We’re facing a bit of a drought,” understates Pearce.
At the moment most of the producers are managing the situation. Maude says his company, like many in the area, are investing in reservoirs, but while there is enough in reserve to see the sector through the current season, unless something changes, it may well face serious problems in the future.
Grower Esteban Garcia has turned to technology to help handle the water shortages. He has installed a drip irrigation system, which is computer controlled, and works out exactly how much water is needed. “If it’s managed properly, it’s not a problem, but while we have enough water to meet our needs, we have to be careful.”
But while the producers can manage the situation in the short term, there needs to be a long-term solution if Spain wants to remain competitive on grapes.
Unfortunately water is a political issue. A previous plan to create a pipeline or aqueduct to carry water from the north to the south died a death in the aftermath of the Madrid terrorist attacks, which led to the election of a new socialist government.
Maude says: “Water is a big political issue and that doesn’t look like it’s going to change. At the moment, we only get around half the water we actually need.”
With the pipeline plan shelved, the Spanish government is now proposing to build a series of desalination plants, something the industry is reluctant to embrace. “There’s a lot of talk about putting in desalination plants but they are not a very good solution,” says Pearce. “They’re expensive and effectively make us uncompetitive.”
Maude says the growers’ water needs also come a poor second to the lucrative tourism sector’s needs. “On average, it costs us around €1,000 a hectare for water alone. In Italy, that would be free.”
Overall the issues surrounding the problems with water are unlikely to disappear overnight and in the meantime, the industry will have to find ways of getting on with the job of growing high quality, competitive Superior Seedless grapes.
SUPERIOR MARKETING
Producing good quality grapes is only half the battle however, and the Spanish producers are no slouches when it comes to selling grapes either.
Working with Foods from Spain in the UK, producers will be funding a Kids Go Free promotion, which will be appearing on grape bags in Tesco and Morrisons this year. The offer allows accompanied children free access to more than 130 theme parks and leisure attractions around the UK.
To obtain four vouchers, customers have to collect two tokens from promotional packs and send them off with a stamped addressed envelope.
The promotion is being supported with box-barkers in Tesco, along with advertisements in the July/August issue of Tesco’s consumer magazine. Posters will be used to promote the offer in Morrisons’ stores.
A further promotion will see trolley advertising in Asda and Sainsbury’s, along with adverts in both retailers’ magazines and promotional leaflets in Sainsbury’s.
Further adverts will appear on Asda FM and in consumer press titles throughout July.
ITUM LABOUR SAVERS
Less labour intensive grapes is just one of the aims of grape breeders over in Spain.
Dr Juan Carreno Espin, of researcher ITUM, says breeders are looking to develop fruit which requires less attention and labour to help keep the country competitive.
“We’re competing with countries where labour can be much cheaper,” he says, “so we’re aiming for less labour intensive berries which require less intervention on the vine.”
ITUM was set up by a group of 18 Spanish grape exporters to help the sector remain ahead of the game when it came to varietal development .
The companies backing the research work represent around 80 per cent of the Murcian production.
Funded 50/50 by the growers and local government to the tune of €200,000 a year, Espin says ITUM has 11,000 trials underway, with six serious contenders for development.
“It’s easy enough to produce new varieties, but the tough part is producing ones that are going to be successful commercially.”
The fruit has to meet a wide criteria, he says, which includes having a good yield, large berry size and a crunchy texture. On top of this, they have to be better than the varieties currently being cultivated.
However, the whole process takes time: “We have about six varieties in phase two of three, which are looking promising. The process takes about six years, and we’re around three years in on those varieties.”
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