Although the fall is not significant in terms of the rest of Spain, where production is likely to be some 11 per cent down on last year’s levels, Valencia growers group Ava-Asaja says it is important because it is the result of growers withdrawing from stonefruit production all together. “This decrease in summer fruit output is due especially to about 10 per cent of the crop being abandoned because of ruinous returns last season - some 40 per cent below previous years,” said Cristobal Aguado, president of the organisation.
Forecasts for individual lines are for a 35 per cent decline in plum production, a 30 per cent decline in apricot production, a 26 per cent decline in peach production and a 22 per cent drop in nectarine output in volume terms.
Aguado also pointed out that orchard renewal is partly responsible with many growers taking out older peach and nectarine trees to replace them with newer, better quality varieties. However, the weather has also been to blame for the likely decrease in output. “Continual rainfall in April interrupted the vegetative cycle of trees,” said Aguado. The peach harvest began in the eastern Spanish region last week and nectarine harvesting was due to begin this week.
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