According to LA UNIÓ de Llauradors, the first estimates indicate that the next kaki season will yield some 280,000 tons, i.e. almost 35% less than the average production of the last campaigns. It will be a fairly small production, even lower than the past one, which was already much shorter than the previous ones. In some production regions, such as Vall d'Albaida, the decrease could be 50% over a normal campaign.

This sharp decline in the production of kaki in the Valencian Community is due to several factors. One of the main factors is the frost that caused many fruits and flowers to fall. Another factor is that more and more producers are abandoning their fields in full production because of the low prices that they are being paid for their products. According to the latest available data, the amount of kaki plant reproduced by approved nurseries last year has decreased by 4% over the previous year, and by almost 80% when compared to 2015.

Different commercial operators, faced with these forecasts of a much lower harvest, try to accelerate the purchases of fruit in the field. The first prices offered are between €0.33 and €0 .35/kg, only 14% higher than in the same dates of the previous season. LA UNIÓ advises producers to be cautious and not to sell in a rush because it's still very early and the prices offered do not fit the reality of the campaign. "We have to wait for prices to rise in the face of the great decrease expected and not sell hastily."

This campaign's issues date back to the last weeks of last April when there were significant losses in kaki due to climatic causes that have generated a series of problems with this crop's current insurance system. It should be noted that on April 22, the kaki insurance working group of the Valencian Community met in the field and verified in situ that the damage would be high, as some plots even lost 100% of their crop. However, not all of these damages will be covered by insurance, as the insurance will only cover damages that are clearly caused by frost.

LA UNIÓ has asked the Ministry to provide aid and Agroseguro to come up with new proposals
LA UNIÓ has requested the Ministry of Agriculture to establish a line of extraordinary aid for all those producers that, despite having an insurance policy in force for the 2021-2022 plan, are not going to receive compensation because of a poor adaptation of the current insurance system.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com