Nationwide issues Spanish supply warning

Recent extreme weather in Spain has destroyed thousands of hectares of fruit and vegetable crops and caused major disruption to supplies, Nationwide Produce reports.

A combination of heavy rain, hailstorms and severe flooding across Valencia and surrounding areas have not only wiped out farms but also caused the collapse of the A-7 motorway, further complicating distribution across the country, the supplier says.

Flooding has significantly impacted both protected greenhouse crops and open-field crops, according to Nationwide, which has operations in Spain.

Growers are struggling to access their fields, making it difficult to harvest and assess the long-term damage, the firm said in a statement to its UK customers.

Widespread flooding has also affected packhouses, causing end-to-end disruption across the entire supply chain.

The collapse of the A-7 Mediterranean Motorway, a critical route for produce transport, has forced Spain’s Ministry of Transport to impose heavy vehicle restrictions, Nationwide says.

Nighttime-only access is now in place for rerouted vehicles on alternative roads to manage congestion and prioritise emergency and supply transport.

Nationwide expects citrus supply - and in particular easy peelers - to be hardest hit due to the unprecedented circumstances in Valencia.

Lettuce production and supply, specifically Little Gem, Iceberg and speciality varieties, is also impacted.

Brassica supply is currently stable, but shortages and price increases may follow, Nationwide warned.

Tomato production is affected to a lesser extent, but may face supply inconsistencies.

Nationwide added that while peppers, aubergines and cucumbers are not currently impacted, there may be future quality issues due to the effects of heavy rainfall.

“We are actively working with our Nationwide Espana team to navigate these challenges, and we’ll keep you informed of any updates to minimise the impact on your orders,” Nationwide said in its statement to customers.