The weather is one factor that is as uncontrollable as it is decisive in fruit and vegetable campaigns. At this same time last year, Storm Filomena hit Spain with, literally, paralyzing cold, while this year, January started in Andalusia after the warmest December on record, with 2.9 degrees above average in the region. This has inevitably had an impact on the current supply in the province of Almeria.

"It is true that, at the beginning of the season, the temperatures were very high and production was brought forward, but the heat has not been good for the plants, and they are currently less productive. In fact, looking at all products, the total volume has fallen by between 10 and 12% compared to the previous season," said José Miguel López, president of Hortamar.

"Regarding the demand, in general, up until Christmas, it has been a normal campaign, more or less like last year's," he said. There has been speculation about the possibility of increased demand for products from Almeria due to the fall in the greenhouse production in Central Europe, and many companies in the sector, including Hortamar, agree with this point.

"All indicators were already pointing in this direction. There is a severe crisis in Europe; the population in general has less purchasing power, prices and costs have increased.... However, I think that the drop in the demand is helping deal with the lower production  and, except for peppers, prices are allowing us to have a reasonable year."

Tomatoes have recorded good prices, said José Miguel, and the same can be said of Almeria cucumbers, whose auction prices in general exceed 1 Euro, putting them above even various categories of peppers. "Surely, since more and more is being planted, there is more supply, and pepper prices are a bit lacking this campaign. In fact, that is the product yielding the worst results."

However, the stability of prices in the campaign and the figures that are being reached are called to be decisive factors that will determine the transition to spring crops. "At Hortamar, the partners are considering an extension of the vegetable winter cycles. Last year, we had many problems due to the Calima and humidity. Many still remember it and want to hold to their productions for as long as possible," said the president of the Almeria cooperative. "I think that this year there will be less watermelon and melon than last year, and based on the data we already have, the extra-early segment will suffer the most. However, this lower supply is no guarantee that there will be better prices. Watermelon and melon are more seasonal products whose consumption is highly dependent on the climate and temperature in the consuming countries," said José Miguel López.

In addition to its conventional line, Hortamar also has the Hortamar Bío line of organic vegetables. "We already have around 60 hectares of organic crops. Practically every product that we grow in a conventional manner, we also grow organically, although our main products there are bell peppers (all colors) and Almeria cucumbers."

"This year, when it comes to the demand, the organic sector has perhaps been the segment most affected by the crisis. Consumers have less spending power, so they are buying more conventional products, even though the price difference between both formats is becoming smaller."

"This, of course, opens the possibility of reaching more consumers, but we must bear in mind that organic products are more difficult to grow. Productivity is considerably lower than that of a conventional crops (on average, about 20%), so in order to keep the profitability of both productions at similar levels, the price of organic products should be at least 20% higher than those of conventional ones; and that without taking into account the other difficulties and risks of producing organically."

"However, at Hortamar, we remain committed to organic production," said José Miguel. Last year, the company already put into operation 2,000 m² of space exclusively for the handling and packaging of its organic production and will soon begin the construction of new facilities devoted exclusively to organic on a farm near the cooperative's current facilities, said its president.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com