Producer-exporters in the south-eastern Spanish region of Murcia are warning that bad weather conditions could sink broccoli production and leave the market short as output plummets to barely half of usual volumes for the time of year.

Members of Proexport have said that persistent rains and flooding are jeopardising retailer programmes, leaving broccoli and cauliflower supply well below market demand for this busy time of year.

Fernando Gomez, managing director of Proexport, said: “Producers of broccoli in Spain and particularly in the region of Murcia are suffering to meet supply programmes agreed with national and international clients, due to force majeure against which little or nothing can be done now.”

Proexport estimates that the decline in Spanish brassica output is close to 45 per cent. Gomez said: “For example, Proexport members alone have seen how their exports decreased by 30.8 per cent, just over 9.1 tonnes, in the last three months compared to the same period last year. The impact of the weather conditions has been devastating.”

In October, severe flooding in production areas such as the Guadalentín Valley and persistent rainfall across south-east Spain in November and early December have destroyed hundreds of hectares of production waiting to be harvested as well as favouring the development of disease such as botrytis. Winter cold has just arrived in Spain, causing a vegetative break in plants, so a change in the situation is not expected for the coming weeks.

Rainfall in Murcia was 270 per cent above the historic average and it rained on more days during the month – a total of 17 – than in any other November since 1971.

Gomez also said that prices below cost last year have had an impact as many smaller growers could therefore not afford to plant this season. He said: “Proexport has been warning for years that the aggressive pricing and supply negotiations of many European retailers would eventually severely damage the income of farmers and Europe’s ability to produce fruits and vegetables.”

Spain is the EU’s largest broccoli and cauliflower grower and Murcia produces 65 per cent of the exported volumes of the brassicas, with the UK by far the largest market.

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