The Lettuce Committee of Fepex recently held a meeting in Murcia to review the 2023/2024 campaign, which has had a positive first half and a highly irregular second half, and which has also been marked by a significant increase of exports and growing varietal diversification. The meeting also served to appoint Cecilio Peregrín as the committee's president.
The meeting addressed the notable growth of exports this campaign, with 292,452 tons shipped in the first quarter of the year; a 7.4% increase over the same period in 2023. It also confirmed a trend towards greater varietal diversification, with iceberg lettuce still as the most exported variety, accounting for approximately 50% of the total.
The 2023/2024 campaign was also characterized by a positive performance in the early months, with acceptable volumes and prices, and a very irregular second half, from December to May, both in terms of prices and product availability. A decrease in consumption, especially of butterhead lettuce, was also observed, according to Cecilio Peregrín, president of the lettuce sector of Proexport, who was appointed as president of the Fepex Lettuce Committee.
Cecilio Peregrín González, who is also a member of the Governing Board of Coexphal (Almería) and was appointed as vice president for vegetables at Fepex in the last general assembly of the Federation, held in February, "accepted his appointment as committee president with great enthusiasm and desire to work for the lettuce sector and the federation."
In 2023, Spain's lettuce exports amounted to 783,979 tons; a 1% decrease compared to 2023. Of that, 375,454 tons corresponded to butterhead lettuce. In terms of value, overseas sales reached 920 million euros, with an annual growth of 11%. Lettuce is the second most exported vegetable from Spain and the third most important in terms of value. Murcia is the leading lettuce producing and exporting region, with 525,673 tons exported in 2023; 67% of the national total, followed by Andalusia, specifically Almeria, which exported 143,498 tons; 18% of the total, and Alicante, with 27,015 tons.
The Sectoral Committees of Fepex for specific products or product groups study the issues affecting each crop and propose necessary measures to improve the production, marketing, or promotion of the crops. The Lettuce Committee of Murcia consists of Associations where this crop is most prevalent, namely the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers-Exporters of the Region of Murcia (Proexport), the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organizations of the province of Almeria (Coexphal), and the Federation of Fruit and Horticultural Product Entrepreneurs of Alicante (Fexphal).
For more information: www.fepex.es