The Spanish-French-Italian Strawberry contact group, consisting of producers of France, Spain and Italy, as well as representatives of the Administration, is met last week in Salerno, Italy to discuss, among other things, the results of the 2012 strawberry campaign and production forecasts of the campaign that is now beginning.
The French, Italian and Spanish producers represented by FRESHUELVA exchange information on the production, harvest forecasts and campaign development.
They also consider the positioning of strawberries in the reform of the Common Market Organisation.
The strawberry group is one of the contact groups that was created under the Spanish-French Fruits and Vegetables Joint Committee, which Italy joined in 2010 and that meets annually. The last meeting was held in Huelva on February 20, 2012.
Besides the strawberry group, tomato, garlic, apple and stone fruit groups have also been created.
Strawberry exports in 2012 amounted to 285,169 tons, 24% more than in 2011, according to the Department of Customs and Excise Duties of the Tax Agency within the Ministry of Economy and processed by FEPEX. In value terms, exports of strawberries in 2012 stood at 521.6 million euro (+18%).
Andalusia is Spain's most important strawberry export community with 253,146 tonnes in 2012 and, within this autonomous region, Huelva exported in 2012 a total of 248,884 tonnes, 98% of Andalusia's exports and 87% of Spain's total exports.
Source: Fepex