Two of the biggest growers’ associations in Spain - Hortyfruta and Proexport - have united with a proposal for a multi-million euro promotional campaign in Germany and the UK to boost consumption of their produce and recover their position after the E. coli crisis.
Hortyfruta and Proexport represent 56 per cent of Spanish fresh produce exports from Andalusia and Murcia respectively. And Juan Marín Bravo, president of the Murcia association, has called for all growers in to the two regions to join in. “This crisis hasbrought about the disastrous stonefruit season,” he said. “It has also been the worst melon and watermelon season in memory. We cannot carry on waiting.; We Spanish producers must defend our image and that is why we need far-reaching promotion activity in our destination markets. The whole horticulture sector in Murcia and Andalusia, which represents more than 80 per cent of national fresh produce sendings, should get behind this promotion.”
They have put their plans to the Spanish farm ministry, which will in turn meet with the EU officials on 16 September with Spain’s proposals. “We have put forward a rigorous and ambitions proposal and we hope the minister will support us so that we have a happy result in Europe,” said Proexport director Fernando Gómez.
The two organisations plan to put €600,000 into the three-year project which they have costed at €3 million.
Hortyfruta ceo María José Pardo added that Spanish produce has suffered more on export than domestic markets. “It is on the external market that the effects have been felt,” she said. “We have to address consumers who have lost confidence in the safety of our fresh produce.”
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