The zucchini campaign is about to start in Almeria, where the total acreage devoted to this vegetable has been reduced compared to the previous year.
"We expect to start harvesting and marketing our zucchini between the last days of August and the first days of September," said José Luis Escobar of the Almeria-based company Berdea, a specialist in zucchini cultivation and renowned for its King Courgette brand. "We will only have limited quantities at the beginning, but from October onwards, we will have more consistent volumes."
The acreage devoted to zucchini in Almeria has been reduced. "We have observed that some producers are giving up on zucchini cultivation because of the rising costs, especially labor costs, which are essential for the production of this vegetable. The growers who have stopped planting zucchini this year have switched to other products, such as tomatoes or cucumbers," said the grower and exporter.
"However, since we are zucchini specialists, we know how to optimize the resources quite efficiently to be able to produce and market it. Our grower partners, therefore, usually stick to their crop planning. This year, we expect to have about 150 hectares planted with zucchini, a similar acreage to that of last year," said José Luis Escobar.
The drought, combined with the high temperatures this summer, has been a challenge for many producing areas in Spain, although according to the producer, "the area of Las Norias de Daza, in Almeria, is not dealing with any problems, so far, due to water shortages."
Moreover, zucchini prices are expected to remain stable compared to the previous campaign. "Last season, zucchini prices were quite stable compared to those of other greenhouse vegetables. We expect stability this year, both in terms of quantities and prices, and we are hoping that distributors will understand what the increase in labor costs entails for us as producers," he said.
"Last year, in September, significant problems were observed both in conventional and organic crops due to the impact of pests like aphids, which were boosted by the excessive heat, but the situation this year seems to be more under control. As for the New Delhi virus, our observations point to it being under control thanks to the planting of resistant varieties for the last two seasons," said José Luis Escobar.
For more information:
BERDEA SAT
José Luis Escobar Jiménez (ES)
[email protected]
José Luis Escobar Castañeda (ENG)
[email protected]
Rocío Escobar Castañeda (FR)
[email protected]
Pieter de Jong (sales office in the Netherlands)
[email protected]