Hortyfruta, Andalusia's Inter branch Fruit and Vegetable Organization, has warned of the critical situation that some of its vegetable crops -especially aubergine, zucchini, and cucumber crops- are experiencing.
Last week, Hortyfruta had already noted that, following the abnormal heat that was recorded and which affected the crops, there was an agglomeration of the crops.
"Hortyfruta has carried out a rigorous market analysis every week since the entry into force of the extension of the standard on September 1, 2022. Following this exhaustive analysis, Hortyfruta detected that the most affected product at the moment is the long aubergine, which is in a pre-alert situation, corresponding to the yellow alert according to the Inter branch organization's Crisis Manual," the president of Hortyfruta stated.
Thanks to the Price and Market Observatory of the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development and the collaborating marketing companies, Hortyfruta will monitor the quality of the aubergine, cucumber, and zucchini over the next few days. These are still weeks of high production and sales, and even though the market share is losing importance, it is still representative of the European markets.
"If the situation persists, it will be necessary to activate the extension of the standard, which establishes the obligation to withdraw the second categories so that only the extra and first categories for fresh consumption arrive on the market, which would affect all producers and marketers in Andalusia," stated Francisco Góngora, the president of Hortyfruta.
Hortyfruta represents and defends the common interests of the intensive fruit and vegetable sector in Andalusia since its creation in 2007. It represented all of the fruit and vegetable grown in greenhouses in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia and intended for fresh consumption: tomato, pepper, cucumber, zucchini, aubergine, green bean, melon, and watermelon.
The companies associated with the organizations that make Hortyfruta market 3,256,094 tons of fruit and vegetables for an economic value of 3,191 million euros. In the current campaign, Hortyfruta groups 44,653 hectares of production, 19,364 farmers, and 112,835 direct jobs. It accounts for 82% of Andalusia's intensive horticultural production and marketing of greenhouse crops.
For more information:
Hortyfruta
Ctra. de Málaga n.º 44, 3.ª Planta
04002 Almería (España)
Tel.: 0034 662 388 055
[email protected]
www.hortyfruta.es