Murcia, the main growing region, registered a 31 per cent increase for the period on the same time last year with 74,261 tonnes, in line with the national percentage increase and contributing to the total 277,060t of cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines exported by Spain from April to June.
Spanish stonefruit exports put in a strong performance in the first three months of the season according to figures just released by national exporters’ federation, Fepex.
Murcia, the main growing region, registered a 31 per cent increase for the period on the same time last year with 74,261 tonnes in line with the national percentage increase and contributing to the total 277,060t of cherries, plums, peaches and nectarines exported overall by Spain from April to June.
Secretary general of producers’ association Asaja Murcia Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca said he was “moderately satisfied” with the figures. “In our region, the increases have been slightly better than in the other autonomous communities,” said Gálvez. “They show the commitment our growers have to developing products with added value that are so much in demand by multiple retailers internationally.”
Nationally Spain exported 28 per cent more apricots, 48 per cent more plums, 27 per cent more cherries, 28 per cent more peaches and 31 per cent more nectarines than in the first three months of the season last year. Gálvez said: “Not even the strange weather at the beginning of the campaign or the transport strike have been able to disrupt the pace of such a dynamic sector as stonefruit.”
Earnings were up with total values reaching €340 million for the period - a 34 per cent increase on last season. Performance of different lines was mixed, however. Average prices per kilo for cherries, plums and peaches showed declines of between two and six per cent on last year. Meanwhile nectarines and apricots experienced increases of eight and 3.5 per cent respectively.
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