The Union of Small Farmers (UPA) estimates that this year's asparagus production won't exceed 30 million kilos.
The General Secretary of UPA Granada, Nicolás Chica, has stated that, with only 15 days left before the campaign comes to a close, "many growers have shown their despair," as they have lose 50 percent of their production because of the weather conditions.
The cooperatives have managed to somewhat compensate for this decline with their annual acreage expansion, so they expect a drop of about 30 percent compared to the previous season.
In normal conditions, the province of Granada usually produces more than 40 million kilos of asparagus and has an export quota of 72 percent. "It is possibly the most exported product," stated Chica, who underlined the importance of the crop, with the existence of thousands of small family farms.
In addition to the impact of the weather and the low production, UPA Granada has also reported the fact that the asparagus are thinner than in other years, which is "bad news" for the growers, as prices depend on the calibre and, therefore, they receive less money for the product. And this has also taken a toll on the amount of direct jobs generated.
Source - http://www.freshplaza.com
