The pepper season has already started in the Spanish province of Almeria, in the areas of Dalías and Berja, and next week, the harvest will start in El Ejido, a later area which is largely devoted to this crop.
"Activity is starting in our facilities on week 38 with the arrival of our first peppers," says José Antonio Baños, president of Ejidomar, which produces around 20,000 tons of peppers annually, with its full range of products amounting to around 45,000 tons.
"The harvest has been delayed because growers have been planting later in order to avoid pest issues and save on treatment costs. Also, the high temperatures in July caused some problems with the fruit set," says the organization's representative.
According to José Antonio Baños, the area planted with peppers in Almeria is expected to be somewhat larger than usual, "although this won't be a decisive factor, because what will most influence the supply will be the weather, especially in December and January."
Pepper prices in Almeria are set in the auctions, given the limited supply in the area. Murcia finished its season weeks ago and the volumes arriving from the Netherlands seem lower than usual at this point in the season. "We are getting a lot of calls asking us to start marketing now," says the grower and exporter.
For more information:
José Antonio Baños
EJIDOMAR
El Ejido, Almeria. Spain
T: +34 950483511
[email protected]
www.ejidomar.es