"As a result of the inflationary crisis in this campaign, agricultural production costs have continuously increased. This situation has a bigger impact on intensive fruit and vegetable greenhouse productions, as they are more vulnerable to these fluctuations. That's why zucchini producers started this campaign with the highest costs they've ever faced," ASAJA-Almeria stated.
According to an initial assessment by ASAJA-Almeria, "the current production costs of zucchini have increased the total costs borne by producers by 21% on average. Labor accounts for 52% of the production cost, followed by fertilizers with 10%. The amortizations of the structures necessary for production, as well as the plastic consumables used in our agriculture, have increased by more than 33% since 2021. There's also been an unprecedented increase in the price of other inputs or supplies such as electricity, water, and agricultural diesel."
"Unfortunately, the cost of many inputs will not return to the level they had in 2021," stated Adoracion Blanque, president of ASAJA-Almeria.
In this campaign that is already nearing its end for some crops, the price of some horticultural products is improving. Zucchini prices at the moment, however, have fallen below 30 cents. Moreover, pests such as aphids or virosis are reducing yields in some cases. "Spring prices have not reached the level obtained in winter, so the result of the zucchini campaign will be determined by yields," stated the president of ASAJA-Almeria.
"ASAJA- Almeria insists that there is an imperative need for the Central Government to reduce the tax burden on the agricultural sectors, including the tax reduction requested by the sector urgently. ASAJA-Almeria also calls for additional compensation to offset the increase in costs."
For more information:
ASAJA-AlmerÃa
https://asajaalmeria.org