"The carrot season has been good so far, without any big surprises," says a representative of the Spanish producer Somos Hijolusa. "We have been affected by some storms in the Seville area and by hail in Albacete, which have caused minor damages, but in general terms, we are highly satisfied with the development of the carrot season this year."
"We believe that a big reason behind this stability is the fact that we always work under contract with our growers and also have our own farms, which allows for greater control and planning."
"This year, we have managed to keep the quality exceptional at the source, which directly translates into a superior final product. Thanks to this exhaustive control and to choosing the best plots, our customers receive the best quality carrots available on the market. We are pleased that our quality standards are in line with what both end consumers and the industry expect, because that's allowing us to continue growing."
"At Somos Hijolusa, we work very closely with our suppliers from the beginning of the cycle and our agronomists are permanently present in the fields, providing advice and monitoring the production. That way, we make sure that the product meets the quality standards required by our clients."
"It is true that factors such as changes in the plant's cycle or a lack of rainfall can temporarily affect parameters such as the calibres or the amount of losses, but we always carefully select the best plots to guarantee satisfaction at the end of the chain. This attention to detail allows us to offer products that stand out on the market for their consistency and quality."
"Although there were more problems with the weather at the beginning of the year, which took a toll especially in the southern area, this year we are still growing in terms of volume marketed per client, and we have managed to get more clients who trust our work."
This season has been quite good in terms of prices for Spanish carrots. In fact, at the beginning of August, prices were 44% higher than in the previous week and stood 23% above average. "In such a globalized market, the law of supply and demand is key to understanding price fluctuations, and we believe that the drop in the harvests due to the lack of rainfall has significantly contributed to reducing the available supply and pushing prices upwards. Besides, the increase in international demand due to the poor quality, the lower volume grown in some European countries, the main international buyers of this product, as well as the higher costs, have also been determining factors."
"At Somos Hijolusa we continue to guarantee a stable supply thanks to our geographical diversification and efficient planning of the campaigns, which has allowed us to increase our marketed volumes and achieve a higher export percentage than in 2023. In fact, our exports have grown by over 200%."
"The demand remains high and we are confident that it will continue to grow. At Somos Hijolusa, we are convinced that healthy eating trends offer key opportunities. Through Agrícola Villena, we offer natural products that are synonymous with health, quality and freshness; something that both end consumers and the industry increasingly appreciate. We are proud to know we are contributing to the wellbeing of the people who buy them, and who are looking for high nutritional value."
Carrots are one of the company's flagship products, with more than 35 million kilos marketed. "To guarantee the supply, we have diversified our production in different Spanish regions with complementary growing times. We are present in the south, with Seville and Cadiz as the main producing provinces; the central-southern area, in provinces such as Alicante, Albacete, Toledo, etc.; and in the area of Castile-Leon, with Segovia and Valladolid leading the way. In this way, we can be sure of a constant supply."
"It is essential to plan taking all parameters into account: acreage, water requirements and the situation in the domestic and international market," says the representative of Somos Hijolusa.
"In addition to carrots, our business group works with other products, such as potato, leek, celery, vegetable assortment trays for broths, stews or purées, sweet potato, turnip, turnip greens, parsnip, cabbage, etc. We also offer pre-prepared convenience foods, like our carrot sticks for snacking, microwave potatoes and sweet potatoes, or peeled and cut potatoes. Our focus is on offering products suited for a balanced and healthy diet."
"We mainly target the retail channel, but we also supply the industry, which processes our products for grating, chopping, making broths, omelettes, etc. We also have a presence in the hospitality channel with the peeled and cut products we supply through Natuber."
"All our products are fresh and are supplied both in bulk and in other bagged formats with different weights adapted to different consumption needs."
"We also export to various countries in the European Union, where our products are highly appreciated for a good part of the year. For us, at Somos Hijolusa, diversification and attention to quality are the key to continuing to grow and offering the best to our clients."
For more information:
Somos Hijolusa
Pol. Ind. de León. Phase 2. Plot M-33
24391 Ribaseca
Leon, Spain
Tel.: +34 699 790 228 / 987 215 634
[email protected]
www.hijolusa.es