The Spanish greenhouse vegetable season has gone quite well so far, says Paul van Groningen, who operates as a commercial agent from Spain alongside his wife, Maria Elena.
"Prices have generally been satisfactory for growers. However, the ever-increasing virus pressure is becoming a bigger problem. There are fewer and fewer resources available for growers to combat diseases, viruses, and insects, while pest pressure continues to rise, leading to lower yields per square meter."
"The availability of peppers could still pose a challenge toward the end of the season. Several growers have already finished harvesting and cleared their greenhouses earlier than usual. Due to the high temperatures at the beginning of the campaign, more product was harvested early, which means we are now missing that volume. As a result, the market for peppers, including pointed peppers, is expected to tighten and become more expensive."
"For other greenhouse vegetables, such as aubergines and courgettes, there seems to be a bit more supply at the moment due to the higher temperatures. Additionally, Dutch products are already entering the market. These products are expected to remain somewhat lower in price," Paul continued.
"Overall, I found this year's Spanish winter campaign to be a bit calmer compared to last year, with fewer ad hoc orders. There were no major disruptions due to weather conditions or strikes, so everything remained widely available throughout the season."
"From the first half of April, we expect to have watermelons available from Almería again. In melons, after several years of declining cultivation area, there has been a slight increase in planting this year," continued Paul, who last week visited several regular growers of vegetables, citrus, and Spanish olive oil—both organic and conventional—along with customers. "Perhaps, due to the tighter supply of peppers and lemons toward the end of the season, there will still be some excitement and movement in the market after all!"
For more information:
Paul van Groningen
Hudepa
+34 611 537 616
paul@hudepa.com
www.hudepa.com