The strong winds that hit the Iberian Peninsula at the end of last week, especially in the eastern area, have caused damage to crops such as kakis, whose harvesting period is currently underway. Fruit fall and damages caused by the wind will lead to a reduction in the volumes of first class fruit in a campaign that has had a really good start on a commercial level.

"Although we have recovered a good part of the production we did not have last year, we won't have an abundant harvest this campaign," said Kiko Torres, General Manager of Exquisite Fruits, based in Gandía, Valencia. "According to our estimates, the blizzards of previous days have caused the direct loss of about 15% of the production that still had to be harvested, due to fruit falling on the ground."

Also, the strong shaking of branches has left plenty of marks on the fruit and affected their commercial value. "The batches of first class fruit will be reduced by 30 to 40%," says Kiko Torres. "This could allow the prices of the higher quality produce to remain stable during the rest of the campaign, instead of going down, as they usually do during November," he said.

According to the producer and exporter, from a commercial standpoint, the campaign has been good from the beginning. "Prices have been good since the beginning. We have already sold 35% more volumes compared to last year, when the production recorded a sharp drop. Also, despite there being more kilos available, we are seeing a higher demand, possibly as a result of the good marketing work we do every year with a wide range of products," he said.

The Valencian company exports all of its products and is achieving continuous growth in the United Kingdom, Austria, Germany and some countries in the Middle East.

While they have so far always been fully focused on the supermarket channel, this year they have started operating in wholesale markets in Germany, such as Hamburg. "We want to promote our Style by Fruits brand for citrus and kakis in German wholesale markets. Unlike the retail, this sales channel appreciates not only the quality of the product, but also other factors, such as its presentation, packaging, etc., which allows for better recognition and growth of the brands," said Kiko Torres.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com