The Hass avocado campaign in the Spanish Region of Valencia is coming to an end earlier than usual this year. "In normal circumstances, we would have supply up until the end of February, and perhaps even early March, but this time we're almost finished before the middle of the month," says Salvador Olaso, from Agro Safor. "However, due to higher than usual temperatures and a lack of rainfall, the Lamb Hass variety is slightly ahead of schedule, and it looks like its harvest will also begin earlier than in previous years."
"This year's Hass avocado campaign has been really good. There has been a shortage of avocados in Malaga, and it seems Morocco has shipped less, so many companies have resorted to the Region of Valencia to buy fruit. The heat and drought have posed challenges for everyone and we have also been affected, but there are differences between the types of soil used for cultivation in Malaga and in Valencia. While Malaga has sandier soil, which results in greater leaching of irrigation water, our lands here are more clayey, which facilitates better moisture retention and allows us to use less water," he says.
"In fact, producers and companies from Andalusia have already purchased lands to be able to cultivate here. Those who have come from Malaga are here to stay and are setting up large facilities to handle and pack the fruit," he says. "And it's not just them. Some Valencian businesses have jumped on the avocado bandwagon, even launching their own subtropical fruit brands."
"Regarding Hass avocado prices, this year they have been good, although not as high as we would have liked, mainly because the sizes have generally been small. For avocados weighing less than 211 grams, prices have ranged between 1.90 and 2 euros per kilo, and for fruits exceeding 211 grams, prices have reached up to 3 euros. In recent weeks, prices have actually increased, as marketers have been struggling to find fruit, and the smaller sizes have become more valuable."
"I want food safety, but Europe is not making it easy for us"
"The products grown in the Region of Valencia, and all those cultivated in Europe in general, are the safest available," says Salvador. "It's incomprehensible that MRLs are set for substances that are banned in Europe for being toxic, while those products are allowed to enter the EU from third countries. If something is poisonous for us, it's also poisonous for them, and we shouldn't even be setting maximum residue limits."
"There's a specific product, paclobutrazol, which is a growth regulator. It reduces plant vigor by shortening the internodes, which allows for more fruit production on each branch. Paclobutrazol is used in all avocado growing areas of the world except Europe, where its use is restricted. I've been to Chile and Morocco and have seen firsthand how freely it is applied, and then that fruit comes here, where the product is not even approved," he says.
"I want to ensure food safety, but Europe is not making it easy by allowing these practices. That's why, in the protests we're holding across Spain, we're simply asking for equal treatment," says Salvador. "Specifically regarding avocados, it's worth recalling that from June onwards, all avocados we consume are imported, and that those are treated with a molecule that European producers are not authorized to use."
"We just want everyone to have the same tools, but above all, safety."
For more information:
Agro Safor
Tel.: +34 665 570 503
https://agrosafor.net