Trops, the company from Vélez-Málaga that specializes in avocado and mango, is once again news due to its expansion plans. The company, which recently announced its goals to strengthen its presence in Cadiz, has now revealed similar plans for Tavira, Portugal, where it plans to add a new production site to its existing facilities.
According to the director of Trops, Enrique Colilles, the work to build the new infrastructure, which should be operational in early 2025, will begin on January 2 of next year. The goal of this expansion is to consolidate all phases of the production process in one place. Colilles said that the agri-food sector in Portugal is faring well, while production in Spain has decreased significantly due to the effects of the drought.
It's worth noting that, despite this international expansion, Trops does not intend to reduce its activity in any of its eight centers in Spain (nine, if we take into account the recently announced center in Cadiz). The company is looking for a new balance. According to Colilles, they currently bring the fruit from Portugal and process it in Spain. He also said that they sought to restore the balance -caused by the imbalance in the growth of both sectors- by concentrating production in one place.
Trops, however, has faced obstacles on other fronts, Colilles stated. The project to build a desalination plant in Vélez-Málaga in collaboration with the Cobra group and the University of Málaga has been rejected. Colilles criticized this decision, claiming that the interpretation of the Water Law does not support the exclusion of his proposal. According to him, the award was intended for the collection of water for irrigation and human consumption, and according to the National Water Law, only a public entity can receive such an allocation. Trops presented the project on behalf of the Commonwealth, but the project was rejected after the Commonwealth withdrew its support to the project. Colilles attributes this decision to an externally influenced change of mind and preference for other companies.
The decision can still be challenged, but Colilles has announced that they won't challenge it.
Source: malagahoy.es