Spain: Start of carrot campaign with strong competition in Europe

The producer claims that his carrots are as fresh as possible, as they reach supermarkets just 48 hours after they are harvested. "That is our great advantage, but our great inconvenience is the distance that separates us from European markets." However, unless they are experts, most consumers don't know how to recognise these qualities just by looking at the external appearance of the carrots, even though they are perceived in the taste.

"The taste of our carrots is different, with a much greater sweetness," he affirms. In any case, consumers look mainly at the price, and Spanish carrots do not differ much from the European ones in this regard. "As a sector, we should learn to promote the differentiation of fresh carrots from stored carrots, so that the consumer is aware."

In addition to the international market, Arcoval also supplies the domestic market until mid-June, so it competes with producers in northern Spain, whose natural campaign also comes to an end at this time. "We export 80% of our production and we sell 20% in the domestic market."

Arcoval cultivates approximately 270 hectares in Cadiz, and its production amounts to around 15,000 tonnes. "We are one of the Spanish companies exporting the most carrots," concludes Castellar.

The company has customers of all sorts, from distribution chains and supermarkets to wholesale markets. This is why it guarantees great flexibility when it comes to the packaging, offering different formats, like 1 kilo trays, 10 kilo bags or big bags of up to 1,000 kilos.