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Jorge I. Brotóns, Commercial Director of Bonnysa:
“The path is clear: specialization, leaving aside anything in which we are not competitive and offering the consumer something new and tasty”
Bonnysa, a company with 65 years of experience in the sector, was born from the vision of Antonio Bonny, from the Canary Islands. He decided to expand their cultivation areas in the province of Alicante, motivated by the quality and reputation of Muchamiel tomatoes and the climatic characteristics in that area, which were similar to those in Tenerife. Bonnysa had an exporting vocation from the start. In fact, it was the first Spanish company to reach Canada back in the 60s, and today it has more than 2,000 employees in its facilities and a large production of tomatoes and bananas, complemented by exotic fruits, such as papayas and dates. It also has innovative products in its fresh cut and pre-prepared and ready-to-eat convenience food range. Although the company is based in Alicante, it also has production areas in Tenerife and Murcia.
Its commercial director, Jorge Ignacio Brotóns, has analyzed the current situ-
ation of the tomato sector, identifying its weaknesses and the keys to remaining
competitive in an increasingly challenging context. He has also reviewed the situation of bananas, papayas, dates and pre-prepared and ready-to-eat convenience foods.
“Innovation and focusing on the most outstanding and challenging varieties to produce: the right ways to remaining competitive in the tomato market”
Bonnysa produced more than 19,300 tons of tomatoes last season, a volume mainly intended for export to EU countries and the UK.
“The different varieties that we have been introducing, driven by a desire to offer higher value-added options, are yielding very good results in the markets,” says Brotóns.
In recent years, Morocco has overtaken Spain and become the largest exporter of tomatoes to European markets. Meanwhile, Turkey and Tunisia continue to gain market share. How is Bonnysa responding to this situation and how do you see the market developing in the coming years?
“First of all, we must demand that the authorities enforce compliance with the quotas and that fair play prevails. Also, the requirements regarding cultivation, use of phytosanitary products and taxes should be in line with what we have in the EU,” says Brotóns.
“This will not only ensure that competition happens on equal terms, but will also result in greater consumer safety, given the many health alerts in fruit and vegetable products we have been seeing in third countries,” he says.
“Besides our demands at the regulatory level, we also need innovation and to keep focusing on the most outstanding and more challenging varieties to produce if we want to remain competitive. In our case, we are choosing to gradually adopt varieties that provide new flavor alternatives to consumers. Specialization in cherry, cherry plum and cocktail tomatoes has allowed us to achieve very good results in the different markets where we operate,” says Bonnysa’s commercial director.
“The path is clear: specialization leaving aside anything in which we are not competitive and offering the consumer something new and tasty,” he adds.
Regarding the threats of the tomato brown rugose virus (ToBRFV) and Tuta, Brotóns says that they have been detected in the crops of many European opera-
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tors. “We are working with different companies to defend ourselves against them. We are also being extremely rigorous in controlling access to crops to prevent contagion. There is no doubt that both issues can lead to severe problems and that we must act from different fronts to be ready to tackle them.”
“Brand recognition for our bananas up by 17% in a year”
Bonnysa is currently one of the largest independent banana producers, with more than 10 million kg, taking also into account all the bananas marketed through intermediation.
“Our firm commitment to this crop, as well as the internal programs we carry out to be able to offer a unique product, have allowed us to position ourselves in the markets as a reliable operator with a
ROI 1,5 YEAR
premium product. All this, together with our promotional campaigns, has resulted in a product that is recognizable to the consumer. In fact, brand recognition for our bananas has gone up by 17% in a year,” says Jorge I. Brotóns.
“Some of the initiatives carried out to boost the brand’s visibility among consumers include the Flavor of the Year and International Taste Award (with a top score), the Minions® promotion and our recent collaboration with Disney. We will continue betting on such initiatives in the future,” he says.
Although imported bananas have gained a considerable market share in Spain, Bonnysa’s commercial director believes that they are a different product which is perfectly compatible with Canary bananas, and which relies mostly on its price to make a difference.
“When consumers are familiar with both products, they’ll know that, price differences aside, Canary bananas have different nutritional properties and superior organoleptic characteristics. Above all, they’ll also perceive them very much as a domestic product, so they will continue to prefer Canary bananas over imported ones,” he says.
“In our case, we always stand behind the retail and the consumer and try our best to ensure the best quality fruit is brought to the consumer at reasonable prices,” says Brotóns.
COULD PAPAYA ONE DAY BECOME AS POPULAR AS MANGO?
Papaya is one of the tropical fruits that have taken the longest to be accepted into consumers’ homes. Firstly, because of the lack of knowledge about this fruit’s fantastic properties, and secondly, because
of the varieties and the ripeness of the supply coming from overseas,” says Jorge I. Brotóns.
“In our case, by growing the fruit in Tenerife, we have made it possible to deliver a product with an intense and unique flavor, as well as a 70% lower carbon footprint, which has made the product interesting for the markets. When you have something with a consistently good taste, that experience becomes linked to the producer brand. Logically, the investment in communication is generally not as great as that of avocados or mangoes; therefore, on a large scale, knowledge will be gained more gradually,” he says.
“DATES ARE A PRODUCT WITH GREAT OPPORTUNITIES”
“Traditionally, consumers have only had access to very classic varieties with a specific flavor; however, years ago, we decid-
ed to introduce premium date varieties such as the Medjoul, meatier and with a caramelized flavor, on a large scale. This was appreciated by consumers, who have gone from buying dates occasionally for cooking to consuming them like any other fruit, for breakfast and as snacks, especially among athletes,” says Jorge Brotóns.
“The truth is that dates are a product with great opportunities,” he says. “We are currently working with other varieties to be able to continue offering consumers alternatives and to allow them to learn more about this exotic fruit with varieties such as the Bahri or Sukkari.”
GAINING MARKET SHARE WITH PRE-PREPARED AND READY-TOEAT CONVENIENCE FOODS, DESPITE INFLATION
Inflation will normally affect household consumption; however, Bonnysa’s sales of prepared and ready-to-eat products have continued to increase.
“In the case of pre-prepared and readyto-eat products, we are gaining market share and selling more units,” says Brotóns, ”According to our analysis, this
is due, first of all, to keeping our recipes honest, always fresh and natural and without making variations.”
“For example, our grated tomato is not crushed and is not subjected to aggressive thermal processes, which gives the consumer a product similar to the one made at home. In the case of guacamole, in addition to containing 96% fresh avocado, it is treated with state-of-the-art HPP technology, which makes it possible
to extend the shelf life without the organoleptic properties being affected. Consumers, therefore, appreciate our products for their freshness and how natural they feel.
“Prices can certainly be a handicap, so we have made every effort not to pass all cost increases on to the final product. We believe that we must look for the interests of consumers at all times, and that this is the way to build a trusted brand. The goal of these products, especially those in the ready-to-eat range, is to deliver new concepts with a great flavor and without any unnecessary ingredients. Also, in addition to introducing new ideas, we also aim to look at how consumers prepare their favorite foods at home and replicate that on a large scale to make it more convenient.”
Diego Granado, secretary general of Ecovalia:
“Organic consumption in Spain is expected to grow by 10% annually in the coming years”
Organic agriculture has been growing unstoppably in recent years. Between 2021 and 2022 alone, the world’s organic acreage increased by 26.6%, growing by 20.3 million hectares and bringing the total to 96.4 million hectares. This growth has certainly been significant; in fact, the number of new organic hectares is greater than the total that existed globally in 2020, as revealed in the latest report of FiBL, IFOAM - Organics International.
In Europe, organic farming is more than just an option. As stated by the European Commission itself in its description of the Green Pact, “Europe’s future depends on the planet’s health.” To succeed in the ambitious goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the continent has drawn up a transition path with an organic approach.
Today, Europe’s organic acreage represents 19% of the world’s total. The continent has the second largest certified area, behind only Oceania. Europe is also one of the regions with the highest organic consumption, second only to the U.S. Moreover, 8 of the 10 countries with the
largest organic market in 2023 were European. Only the U.S., in first place, and China in third place, both with much smaller production shares, were on another continent.
“The geographical differences between production and consumption are interesting and can be approached in several ways. When it comes to the certified area, Oceania is not relevant, because its large area is mainly a result of its vast
tracts of pasture for its certified organic livestock. And when we say vast, we mean really vast. Some farms can have the size
of a whole province in Spain,” says Diego Granado, secretary general of Ecovalia.
“China is the third largest world market, but the size of its population needs to be taken into account. We are talking about 1,400 million people (the U.S. has 330 million and the EU, 450 million), so not a lot of development is needed for the country to rank high compared to other countries.
“The European Union is a great producer and consumer, as its production is the largest in the world (excluding the pastures of Oceania). It is also diverse, and in terms of consumption, the EU as a whole ranks second, almost on par with the U.S. In terms of production, the organic market is still export-oriented, even more so if we look at it from the Spanish perspective, but local productions are increasingly appreciated, as evidenced by the growth figures of domestic consumption, which still have plenty of potential for further growth.”
“In fact, in the last year, there has again been an upward trend in the European organic market after the stagnation (not recession) reported in some major markets, such as France and Germany. At the European level, the value of organic product sales exceeded 52,000 million euros, with Germany and France leading in terms of consumption.
Looking at per capita spending on organic consumption, the global ranking is led by Switzerland, with 437 euros, followed by Denmark (365 euros), Austria (274 euros) and Luxembourg (259 euros). As for the share of the organic market in the total market, the global leader is Denmark (12.0%), followed by Austria (11.5%) and Switzerland (11.2%).
“In Spain, the organic market has grown by 6.2% in a challenging environment, with total sales worth about 3,000 million euros and 64 € of per capita spending per year. This is a remarkable increase,
considering that in 2014 it reached 26 € per capita per year,” he says.
“In Spain, organic consumption is growing steadily, with a forecast annual increase of 10% in the coming years. This is partly due to better informed consumers becoming concerned about health, wellness and sustainability. The Spanish organic market is also expected to benefit from the growing supply of organic products in supermarkets and the rise of e-commerce, which facilitates access to these products.”
“IN THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CATEGORY, A REMARKABLE GROWTH IS OBSERVED IN BOTH ACREAGE AND ORGANIC PRODUCTION.”
According to data from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), the organic acreage in Spain, including that in a conversion process, amounted to 2.84 million hectares in 2022. 47.3% of that corresponded to Andalusia. Castile-La Mancha, Catalonia,
Valencia, Murcia, Extremadura and Aragon, in that order, also stand out in terms of acreage.
“In the fruit and vegetable category, a remarkable growth is observed in both
acreage and organic production. In recent years, Spain has significantly increased the number of hectares devoted to these crops. The most remarkable is the case of nuts, the leading organic crops, with 290,086 hectares. They are followed by
citrus fruits, with 25,812 hectares, fruit trees, with 9,293 hectares, bananas and subtropical crops, with 9,893 hectares and a 26% growth, and vegetables, with 25,380 hectares. Given these figures, Spain can be considered the organic orchard of Europe.”
Lastly, there is also a niche market for biodynamic products. “The biodynamic production is taken into account for organic production statistics because it is certified organic by Regulation (EU) 2018/848 of the European Parliament and Council, not because it is biodynamic,” says Diego. “For now, Ecovalia has no access to projection data in Spain or in Europe, but we do perceive a certain exhaustion of the model; a result of the bubble observed in this product category in recent years, in which the market has been flooded with biodynamic products that, despite complying with the private regulations that protect them, still fell short of the biodynamic standard.”
How will the markets react to the recovery of the orange production in Spain following the market share gained by Egypt?
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food forecasts Spain will produce 5.842 million tons of citrus in the 2024/2025 season, which is 60,500 tons lower than the provisional figures for the 2023/2024 season and 8.6% lower than the average of the last five seasons.
For the 2024/2025 campaign, orange production is expected to recover somewhat, especially in Andalusia, the main producing area of this citrus fruit in Spain and which in previous campaigns plummeted by more than 50% in the Guadalquivir Valley due to the effects of the drought. On the other hand, mandarin production will be lower than the previous year, as in the case of lemon, while grapefruit production will remain the same.
Specifically, orange production is forecast at 2.975 million tons, i.e. 8.8% or 242,500 tons more than last season, but 8.2% (-266,000 tons) below the average. As usual, this citrus would have the highest production, accounting for 51% of the total citrus production volume. 72% of the oranges produced in Spain are varieties of the Navel group.
Small citrus production would amount to 1.831 million tons, 3.3% (62,400 tons)
less than in the past season and 9.6% below average. This type of citrus would account for 31.3% of the total. Satsuma would account for 6.1% of this group; clementines for 49.9%, and the rest of mandarins and hybrids for 44%.
The effects of the continued drought, the excessive heat during key periods in the development of citrus fruits, and -in some cases- alternate bearing have been decisive factors in the production volume.
INTERESTING START TO THE SEASON DUE TO THE DROP IN OVERSEAS EXPORTS IN SUMMER
From the end of September, the demand for citrus usually increases, following the start of the new school year; a time when
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a significantly lower supply of overseas fruit is expected. However, the supply and quality of citrus from the southern hemisphere, especially South Africa, have been significantly affected by adverse weather this year. Moreover, the local citrus processing industry has been paying very good prices for the fruit, which has led to lower exports.
Thus, prospects point to an interesting start for oranges and a good first part of the mandarin campaign. In fact, knowledge of this situation in the Spanish citrus sector has already been reflected in the prices paid at source from late August and early September, not only for mandarins, but also for the first Navelina oranges, which already reached higher prices at source than at the beginning of the previous season, and for which a premature harvest is expected. The fact is that such situations result in a more speculative citrus trading market at source, as we saw in the 2023-2024 campaign.
“Fruit should not be bought at source four or five months in advance without knowing what will happen in the market, because then we can end up with overpriced fruit that will be very difficult to sell,” said the sales manager of a major citrus supplier for retailers.
EGYPT CONTINUES TO GAIN MARKET SHARE IN ORANGES AND TURKEY IN MANDARINS.
In spite of the already mentioned reduction in exports from the southern hemi-
sphere, imports are still on an upward trend year after year, especially from Egypt, which continues to increase its share both in the EU and in the rest of the world between January and May.
As usual, oranges have been the most imported citrus fruit. Between January and July 2024, the EU27 imported 560,684 tons of oranges, which is 2.9% (+15,600 tons) more than in the same period of 2023 and 32.1% (+136,200 tons) above the average. This increase is mainly due to the rise in imports from Egypt, as other countries have recorded significant reductions compared to the average values due to adverse phenomena that have taken a toll on their productions. Egypt has grown by 6.3% (+29,000 tons) compared to last year (when its figures were already high) and by 69.3% (+199,900 tons) compared to the average, and its market share has increased by 19 points, according to a report published by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA).
As for importing countries, the Netherlands has again been the biggest buyer of
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Egyptian oranges, with a share of almost 45%, followed by Spain and France. The massive arrival of Egyptian oranges in key markets, such as the Netherlands, France, Germany and Belgium, has had a negative impact on the demand for Spanish citrus, causing prices at source to fall. This has been particularly noticeable after the high values reached in the first part of the campaign, and they did not recover until the arrival of the late Valencia type varieties.
Although in the last two seasons there has been a considerable reduction in the Spanish orange production and Egypt has significantly increased its market share in the EU, driven also by the obstacles to reach markets in the Near and Far East due to the conflict in the Red Sea, it remains to be seen how the markets will react to the recovery of the production in Spain, although a good start is expected for its marketing as there is no overlap with South Africa.
As for mandarins, between January and July 2024, the EU27 imported 236,494 tons, which is 17.2% (-49,000 tons) less
than in 2023, and 5.8% (-14,500 tons) below the average. Morocco, with a 20.5% share, is usually the leading supplier in this period, but has lost that position to Turkey and South Africa after its shipments fell by 32.6% (-23,400 tons) compared to the average. Turkey, which became the leading supplier in that period, has seen its volumes increase by 42% (+15,950 ton) compared to the average and accounts for 22.8% of the total, gaining almost 8 percentage points.
DOWNWARD TREND IN CITRUS CONSUMPTION, ESPECIALLY FOR ORANGES
Citrus consumption in Spanish households has been on a downward trend in recent seasons; in fact, citrus fruits have recorded the biggest fall in the fruit segment since 2008 is citrus. Only the exotic fruits segment has grown compared to 2008.
At the end of 2023, orange purchases fell by 14.4% compared to the previous year, making it the citrus fruit that has suffered the biggest drop in consumption. From 11.5 kg per capita per year,
Spaniards stopped consuming an average of just over 2 kilos of oranges in 2023. Meanwhile, mandarin consumption fell by 11.3% to around 5 kg per capita.
In general, citrus consumption has hardly been promoted at all for many years now. There is a lack of public institutional campaigns and the sector seems to lack the capacity to spearhead such initiatives. Several producer organizations and private companies have reiterated the need for promotional campaigns to give citrus consumption a new boost.
Pierre Monteux, Solveg Group Managing Director:
“With the acquisition of the Van Damme ripening facility, we assert our ambition to become European”
In line with its development strategy, the Solveg Group acquired the Belgian ripening company Van Damme and the trading company Aïda in early 2024. A new step for Solveg since their acquisition of Fruidor in 2008: “The two groups share the same business philosophy, with similar values such as professionalism and their concern for customer service quality. The Van Damme family and our organization hit it off quite quickly, as we got to know each other before finalizing the acquisition”, states Pierre Monteux, Managing Director of Groupe Solveg.
STRONG LOCAL ROOTS AND SHARED VALUES
Van Damme has a capacity of 72 ripening rooms and handles some 80,000 tons of bananas a year. “It is a family company with a wealth of expertise, currently run by the 5th generation of owners. Again a similarity with our group, because we operate according to a cooperative model, with the entire enterprise belonging to the banana growers. Van Damme will retain its identity, as it is a well-known and highly respected company in the banana industry. Fort its part, the Aïda trading company markets some 18,000 tons of bananas among other exotics. Like us, Aïda is firmly rooted in the region, and is well known on the Brussels wholesale market. It supplies all the retailers, wholesalers and local markets in Belgium
and Luxembourg. It is a great challenge for us to continue to help these companies prosper in their markets to the satisfaction of their customers and consumers.”
BEYOND THE FRENCH BORDERS
This growth is “essential” for the Solveg Group, which until now was only present on its domestic market with bananas from Guadeloupe and Martinique: “Of course, French bananas remain our DNA. But we have the ambition to Europeanize, as since the Covid crisis the European banana market changed a lot. Today’s market is open, community-based and increasingly Europeanized. Many of our custom-
GROWING PASSION
ers tender at European level for the various countries in which their stores are located. Being able to respond to only one product - French bananas - and only one market - France - had become too restrictive for us compared to our competitors. That is why we want to go beyond our borders. Earlier this year this great
opportunity - still being very close to our geographical area - occurred to us.”
GREATER PURCHASING CAPACITY FOR OTHER ORIGINS
Solveg now has access to a wider range of bananas in terms of origins and varieties, even if French bananas remain at the heart of the Group’s activities. “Our Guadeloupe and Martinique bananas are mainly positioned on the French market, accounting for 20-22% of our market share. But we need to meet the expectations of mass retailers for other origins and other banana ranges. The acquisition of Van Damme enables us to increase our significance and gives us greater purchasing capacity for these other origins as well as the possibility of forging lasting partnerships with producers, while really sharing our values. This is our key engagement with banana growers in Guadeloupe and Martinique and it is also our objective for the African and Latin American growers we want to work with. Van Damme is a large ripening company with a huge industrial know-how, whereas we are a network of ripening plants. Each of us has their own specificities and a lot to
learn from one another. We need to find synergies on the production and commercial fronts to meet the expectations of our European retail customers.”
BELGIAN CONSUMPTION LAGGING BEHIND THE EUROPEAN ONE
The acquisition of the Van Damme ripening facilities is also an opportunity for the Solveg Group to discover the Belgian market: “This journey presents a lot of surprises, satisfactions and new ambitions. In terms of consumption, the Belgians are not the biggest consumers of bananas, which means we can look forward to increased volumes. We also hope to be able to position a few tons of bananas from Guadeloupe and Martinique in the European capital. The Belgian market accounts for 8.5 kilos of bananas consumed per inhabitant per year, compared with 11.5 and 12.7 kg respectively for the French and European markets. Not forgetting the Netherlands and Luxembourg, which are also important. So we are discovering the Belgian market with great enthusiasm and motivation. Our aim is to develop banana consumption, especially on the Belgian market, so that Belgium
reaches the same level of consumption as the European market. It’s now up to us to work towards this goal together.
IMPORT - EXPORT
BG Door and Advanced Ripening Technologies have developed a mobile ripening solution called the Advanced Ripening Unit (ARU). Quality equipment is a precondition for optimum results in cooling and ripening for a wide range of exotic fruits, including bananas. Using high-grade materials and equipment based on proven technologies. The ARU can be placed in existing cold rooms to create an all-in-one ripening system. Making sure you’re always in control of your ripening.
Rafael López, manager of Mabe Hortofrutícola
“We are striving to be able to work in our new facilities this season as soon as possible”
On May 27, the sky of Campo de Dalías, which has the largest greenhouse area in Europe, was covered with the huge black cloud from a fire which, in a matter of hours, consumed the industrial building of SAT MABE Hortofrutícola, located in the municipality of Las Norias de Daza.
“The fire started due to a short circuit. It spread first to a stocking area for product packaging and then quickly to the rest of the warehouse,” says Rafael López, manager of MABE.
The emergency services responded promptly after the first warning calls. According to the Consortium of Firefighters of the Poniente Almeriense, the entity’s members showed exemplary commitment, and not just the firefighters who were on duty, but also those who volunteered almost immediately to help with the extinguishing tasks. There were a total of 35 members, including 18 firefighters who were off duty. They were backed by local police, Civil Guard, Health Services and Civil Protection services, who worked in coordination with the firefighters until the fire was put under control and extinguished, which fortunately happened before it caused any per-
sonal injuries. However, the fire still devastated the facilities of what is one of the largest cooperatives in El Ejido, which was still fully immersed in the 2023/24 fruit and vegetable campaign.
“We were already finished with most products, but we were still in the middle of the melon and watermelon campaign, and we still had 3% of the season’s volume left; approximately 5 million kilos. The facilities burned out completely and, in a unique display of solidarity, we immediately received a lot of support from producers, workers, customers, public bodies, financial institutions and every company in the area, which offered us their facilities without a second thought so that the rest of our production could still be packed and marketed.”
“We handle very large volumes and the other companies were also handling their
own productions, but 10 companies in the area managed to sell the fruit of our members and we thus succeeded in finishing the season without major losses.”
“The campaign, in fact, came to a close shortly after, in June, and in spite of everything, with very positive figures for our growers. We not only want to recover our capacity in the new facilities, but to grow in the 2024/25 campaign, as we had planned”
The Association of Fruit and Vegetable Organizations of Almeria, Coexphal, to which MABE Hortofrutícola belongs, highlighted in its 2023/2024 campaign balance sheet that a great effort has been made this season in most destination markets to keep consumer prices in check, which has had an impact at source. Overall, the data for Almeria crops collected from September to June reflect an average price drop of 17% compared to the previous year, while there has been a 6% increase in the production. However, as stated by the Government of Andalusia in its latest campaign report, prices have remained at favorable levels for producers. This applies also to the more than 500 MABE producer members, who
together account for more than 1,100 hectares of crops.
“We are all MABE, and to ensure that all our partners and customers can work normally this season, we are making a great effort in the construction of new facilities, which we expect to have ready for the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign. The good thing about our com-
pany is that it is financially sound. Our management’s cautious and intelligent decisions in recent years have allowed MABE to become a very strong entity, with very good results and growth each season, and thanks to that, we have been able to undertake this work quickly, without our producers having to make a truly critical effort.”
“Coincidentally, we had already started the 5500 m² expansion of our facilities in March, and that has allowed AGP and COPSA, the two construction companies that were already working with us, to have plenty more resources available for MABE so that we can pack the vegetables of our members in the new facilities as soon as possible,” says Rafael.
“Ha dado la coincidencia de que, además, en marzo ya habíamos iniciado la ampliación de 5500 m² en nuestras instalaciones, adicionales a los que ya teníamos, y eso ha ayudado a que las dos empresas constructoras que ya estaban trabajando con nosotros, AGP y COPSA, hayan podido poner muchos más recursos a disposición de MABE para que, dentro de sus posibilidades, podamos confeccionar las hortalizas de nuestros socios en las nuevas instalaciones lo antes posible”, indica Rafael.
“For now, we believe that our products will have to be marketed from other facilities in September and October, but we want to have everything ready, so that when our volumes increase in November, we can already handle them in the new warehouse. At that time, there will be very few companies able to absorb the volumes we handle from that moment on.”
“This year, we have marketed a total of about 155 million kilos of fruits and vegetables. 70 million kilos corresponded to bell peppers, and about 50 million to cucumbers. We are aware that no one can handle a volume 3 or 4 times above their own. Therefore, although we know that pushing deadlines in a construction
like this one will entail an extra cost, we are willing to make that expenditure to make sure all our partners can work normally this new season.”
“The reconstruction of the facilities will also lead to an improvement of all lines and our productivity by increasing our handling capacity. With cucumbers, for example, we were growing at a rate of 15% per year; the capacity of the old line had become insufficient, but with the new one we will be able to pack up to 100% more volume per day.”
“We are optimistic,” says Rafael López, “and we expect everything to be ready by October. In fact, we are not just aiming to recover our capacity in the new facilities, but also to grow in the 2024/25 campaign, as originally planned.”
Andreu Mir & Camille Broussoux, Anecoop France:
“Our Ambition: To Expand Low-Carbon Production in Spain”
Anecoop was a pioneer in organic farming, launching its first initiatives in 1985. Over the past decade, the group has embraced a low-carbon production model to lessen its environmental footprint by offering consumers products cultivated within Europe. These include exotic fruits like avocados, mangoes, pitayas, and pomegranates, as well as citrus varieties such as the Verdelli lemon, which is now available year-round. This lemon has become a staple among French organic consumers and is poised to capture a broader audience. Andreu Mir, Anecoop’s Sales Director in France, and Camille Broussoux, the company’s Trade Marketing & Communications Manager, reflect on the history of this lemon, which, despite its distinctive color, has successfully replaced imported lemons in various supermarkets during the summer months. The company aims to replicate this success with other projects, such as expanding avocado cultivation in Spain.
THE VERDELLI LEMON: A LEMON NOW FIRMLY ESTABLISHED IN CONSUMER HABITS
“As producers first and foremost, our goal is to expand our production along the Mediterranean coast, enhancing our
range of local European products,” says the team. The Verdelli lemon, a product of a second flowering, allows Anecoop to fill a previously empty slot in the market from mid-July to mid-September. This advancement enables the company to
offer Spanish lemons year-round, eliminating the need for imports to cover seasonal gaps. Summer lemons differ from their winter counterparts, with a paler yellow hue and greenish tint, due to minimal temperature variation between day and night during the summer. Despite the color difference, these lemons maintain the same taste and quality as those grown in winter.
SHIFTING CONSUMER PREFERENCES THROUGH ORGANIC PRODUCTS
Thanks to the efforts of Solagora, Anecoop’s organic subsidiary, and its commitment to low-carbon practices, the Verdelli lemon was first introduced to the organic market. Consumers, who prioritize a smaller carbon footprint over visual appeal, quickly embraced this lemon, securing its place on store shelves. It has successfully gained a foothold in French supermarkets, gradually replacing almost all summer lemon varieties in organic sections. “This lemon has won people over, leading retailers to reduce their imports of South American lemons
during the summer. Considering that a container shipped from South America to Europe emits around 3,000 kg of CO2 over 11,000 km, sacrificing color intensity for a more pastel version is a small price to pay. Eco-conscious consumers made this choice early on, and others have since adapted to the color difference. So much so, that two years ago, we began offering them in conventional markets. Today, several major chains have followed our lead, and we’re optimistic about the future, given our capacity to supply the entire French market.”
EXPANDING AVOCADO PRODUCTION IN SPAIN
Anecoop applied the same low-carbon principles to the cultivation of exotic fruits like avocados. Due to global warming, regions in Spain, such as Valencia, Almeria, and Murcia, now have climates suitable for growing fruits that were previously impossible to cultivate there. “These areas, traditionally prime for citrus, can now produce exotic varieties. From a low-carbon perspective, Spain is the best alternative. Additionally, the
fruit has traveled less, ripened longer on the tree, and reaches the market at peak freshness.”
A CROP DIVERSIFICATION THAT ENHANCES FARM PROFITABILITY
For farmers, growing exotic crops offers several benefits. “It allows for crop diversification and can increase profitability, as avocado cultivation is often more lucrative. With the citrus sector experiencing difficulties, as it did in 2021 and 2022, avocado production can help ensure the sustainability of farming operations.”
Anecoop aims to double its avocado production over the next five years, targeting a potential harvest of 6,000 tonnes. “Our goal is to gradually extend the marketing period, currently from November to April, allowing us to gain market share and reduce import reliance while consumption continues to grow.”
SUSTAINABILITY: A CHOICE THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS COME AT THE EXPENSE OF PRICE
While the economic crisis has made price the primary concern for most French
consumers, the demand for locally produced fruits and vegetables remains strong. Importantly, these two criteria are not mutually exclusive. “Whenever we receive Spanish avocados, our supermarket clients quickly transition to them. There is significant interest in the origin, quality, and European production. By offering European and cross-border products, we add environmental value without compromising on price. For instance, at the start of this year’s campaign, Peruvian avocados were more expensive than Spanish ones.”
Anecoop France looks to the future with ambition, focusing on expanding its low-carbon production. “The desire to reduce our environmental impact has always been in our DNA. We firmly believe that European production has a bright future if, like with Verdelli lemons, we are willing to adjust our consumption habits slightly.”
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Julián Rioja, Sales Director for Iberia and Africa at Planasa:
“Our duty is to develop varieties that respond to each season’s changing conditions”
The soft fruit sector in the Spanish province of Huelva continues to evolve, striving to boost productivity and quality in a changing and increasingly challenging climatic environment that is making it essential to use water more efficiently, as well as to implement production schedules that meet the needs of growers and the commercial demands of consumers. As a leader in the breeding and development of berry varieties, Planasa continues making progress in its quest to respond with its genetics to the changes and challenges that arise season after season.
“In the next campaign, we expect to continue growing and reach a market share of over 15% in Spain,” says Julián Rioja, Sales Director for Iberia and Africa at Planasa. “Our goal is to grow step by step and hand in hand with the growers, offering them technical support throughout the production process so that they can maximize their yields and obtain the best possible performance from our varieties.”
Last year was the second commercial campaign for Planasa’s two most recent strawberry varieties: the RedSayra® and the Red Samantha®. The former is a variety that stands out for its earliness, hardiness and high linear production during its growing cycle. As for the latter, we can say that it is a seasonal variety, which stands out mainly for delivering a very
high quality production from late January onwards.
“Regarding the RedSayra®, we are very satisfied to see how it has become one of the sector’s staple varieties in Huelva. In fact, it was one of the most planted in the latest campaign. Moreover, the main European retailers have opted for this variety and shown to highly appreciate it,” says Rioja.
In the last few seasons, the problems affecting strawberry plants from nurseries in northern Spain seem to have worsened. How can Planasa contribute to addressing this issue?
“The saying that no two seasons are the same seems to have been truer than ever in the last few seasons. To the obvious climatic anomalies that we are experiencing year after year, we must add other diffi-
culties, such as the lack of active soil disinfection materials, so these have certainly not been easy years for anyone,” says Julián Rioja. “In such circumstances, all we professionals in the sector can do is to adapt to continue providing solutions, and we believe that this is precisely what is being done. Our duty as a breeder is to develop varieties that can respond to each season’s difficulties or changing weather conditions.”
“Also, we have set ourselves the goal of improving and developing varieties that will require as little water resources as possible; a factor that becomes even more important if we take into account the water shortage that the sector has been suffering in recent seasons. In fact, in the previous campaign we managed to reduce water and fertilizer consumption by almost 30% thanks to the implementation of new technologies aligned with sustainable development.”
“And we are proud to see how our work here is already bearing fruit. Proof of this is that, according to a recent report from IFAPA, which analyzes the results
of strawberry variety trials during each season, the RedSayra® proved to have outstandingly low irrigation needs. To be precise, our variety required 9% less water consumption than average, compared to other 15 varieties from other breeding programs,” he says.
WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHALLENGES IN GENETICS FOR SPANISH STRAWBERRIES?
We are currently working on different lines of research. One of the main ones is aimed at developing varieties with a very marked rustic character and with resistance to the main soil diseases,” says Julián Rioja.
“And all without ignoring very important factors for the grower, but also for the end consumer, such as productivity, ease of harvesting or the fruit’s organoleptic qualities. It is a priority for our customers to be more competitive and, in short, to be able to meet their objectives each year. It is a complex job that never ends, as the various factors that come into play are constantly changing, but at Planasa we are more than satisfied with the mate-
rials that are already arriving and are yet to come, not only for strawberries, but also for the rest of our products, such as blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.”
“Given the global nature of a company like Planasa and our need to continue outdoing ourselves day by day, we are always working to try to improve our already wide and high quality product portfolio,” says Rioja.
“When it comes to raspberries, the Adelita represented a turning point in the winter segment and is still a leading variety,” he says. “But at Planasa Genetics we continue to develop quality materials adapted to the needs of all links in the sector. Currently, new varieties such as the Pink Hudson® (Plapink 14103) continue to make great impressions so far. And the Adelita is still doing really great.”
“The Pink Hudson® is a very suitable variety for winter, with very high quality and very easy fruit extraction. But it is worth noting that it also offers great potential for double crops, maintaining a high productive yield throughout the cycle.”
“As for blueberries and blackberries, they are also very important products for us. In short, our mission has always been to provide our customers with a complete portfolio of varieties for each of the products we work with at Planasa and for each geographical area in which the company operates worldwide; something we have
undoubtedly
our 50 years of history,” he says.
PEF systems are widely used in the potato industry to make French fries, potato chips and potato specialties such as hash browns or tator tots. Against the backdrop of current energy and frying oil prices, large processors, medium-sized processors and a rapidly growing number of small processors are today very open to investing in PEF systems. Quality, higher processing yields and replacement of carbonintensive thermal processes are key drivers for all processors.
Better slicing and texture
The Pulsemaster Pulsed Electric Field PEF process is known for improving slicing and texture in the production of potato and vegetable snacks. Other applications for Pulsemaster PEF systems include processing commodities such as sweet potatoes, cassava and parsnips, which show similar benefits. An area of particular interest at the moment is the development of the market for premium snacks based on dried fruits and vegetables. Current work focuses on developing new snack shapes using new crops, a ecting the texture, taste and color of the product.
PEF instead of preheating
PEF technology is based on pulsed current and uses electrical energy. PEF treatment of the potatoes in the electric field only takes one second and the e ect is immediate. With Pulsemaster PEF systems, just 1 kWh of energy per ton of potatoes is being used. The existing preheaters are large, energyintensive devices, so when you remove them from the process, there isn’t all that heat and steam. They also slow down the process, as preheaters require a long dwell time of up to 50 minutes, compared to a 30-second dwell time and a one-second treatment time in a PEF unit. And if there is a stoppage in the production line, you can stop the PEF system almost immediately. There isn’t any energy wasted heating up or cooling down. The PEF system is more compact and easier to operate. Compared
THE NEW PULSEMASTER COMPACT PEF-SYSTEM
CRISPIER CHIPS AND SUPERIOR FRIES PERFECT FIT FOR SMALL AND MID-SIZE PRODUCTION LINES
NEW: A PULSEMASTER COMPACT PEF-SYSTEM FOR UP TO 10 TONS PER HOUR
Pulsemaster has launched a new industrial-scale Compact PEF system for handling potatoes, vegetables and fruits up to 10 tons/hour. The Pulsemaster Compact PEF system for the potato, vegetable and fruit industry. Designed for the small and medium production line. At the request of small and medium-sized processors, Pulsemaster delivers a robust, compact all-in-one unit with a small footprint. Easy to install in a production line, quick to start up and processors benefit from low energy and water consumption. The benefits of the process are based on an e ect known as electroporation. Reduced cell pressure improves cutting, reduces starch loss and breakage, and increases yields.
to preheaters, much less product is lost in the event of an incident or malfunction. With PEF, French fries can be dewatered faster and undesirable e ects of the blanching process on product texture can be minimized.
Cell disintegration
The goal of PEF treatment is cell disintegration. The pulsed electric field creates holes in the membranes of the potato cells. Creating tiny holes in the membranes ensures, among other things, that moisture can escape and evaporate more easily; it has all kinds of advantages for the potato industry in terms of product and process. Suddenly one needs 40 percent less cutting force to make fries. The cutting is easier, the cuts are nicer, the fries break less quickly, they are smoother, they absorb less so you need less oil, and the blanching and frying time can be shortened. These e ects also apply to chip production. They are easier to cut, have smoother surfaces and therefore absorb up to 19% less oil.
Yield improvement
And what does it bring to the chip manufacturer? A higher total yield of up to 2% e ciency improvement for a fries line and a better quality product. Thanks to the PEF treatment, the potatoes are cut with an optimal structure. This results in a significantly lower percentage of chip breakage during further processing. A conventional chip line with preheater can have 2.5%-3% breakage. Processors can expect on average less than 0.5% chip breakage after the PEF treatment of raw potatoes, fewer broken particles, less starch loss, fewer fine particles and much less to no feathering. The absorption of frying oil also reduces, up to 10% less oil absorption for fries. These e ects also apply to chip production. They are easier to cut, have smoother surfaces and therefore up to 19% less oil absorption. A smoother cutting surface means less starch loss and less free starch on the surface of the chips, resulting in less doubling and stickiness. Because less starch is lost in the processing water, the yield of a chip line can also be improved by up to 2%. Easier cutting also means less wear on the cutting blades. The lifespan of the blades can be extended 2 to 3 times.
Energy and CO2 reduction
Energy savings are an important positive side e ect of using PEF technology in processing processes, which is certainly an important factor given the current rising energy prices. Compared to conventional energy consumption, PEF is a much more e cient way to treat potatoes at the beginning of the production line. There is a 30 second
residence time in the PEF treatment unit and energy consumption is much lower. Moreover, a company with a PEF system not only saves energy, but also follows the general trend towards CO2 reduction. As a practical example, a customer decided to install a Pulsemaster PEF system in his factory. Water consumption was reduced by more than 100,000 liters per day in the first year. In addition, the PEF system at this plant will save approximately 1,800 tons CO2 (heating with natural gas: approx. 0.2 kg CO2 per kWh) per year and reduce energy consumption by approximately 33,000 gigajoules (corresponds to 9,166,666 kWh).
After
Pulsemaster Compact PEF-System
Rocha pear crop will be quite small
The Rocha pear is one of the staple products that Portugal grows, says Tomás Ferreira Head of Commercial, Logistics and Marketing for Portuguese fruit exporter Granfer: “The Rocha pear, which is our main product at Granfer, is truly a delicious and unique fruit, and it has kept the same characteristics that it had 188 years ago, when it was first discovered. It’s undoubtedly an extraordinary pear in terms of taste, texture as well as shelf life.”
For the current Portuguese pear season, all seemed well when the forecasts were published in June. However, Ferreira acknowledges the situation has changed since then, and not for the better. “For Portugal’s top fruit season, we’ve seen good quality fruits this year, as well as good sizes. Back in June, when Interpera’s first forecasts hit, we were expecting to bounce back from last year’s fall in production. Unfortunately, due to the appearance of the dark spots and just not having as much acreage as we used to here in Oeste, it will be quite a small crop for the Rocha pear, quite similar to last year’s production.”
Thankfully, Granfer isn’t solely relying on the specific orchards with problems, as they have multiple orchards with multiple pear-varieties, Feirreira states. “We
do work with Rocha and other pear varieties in different regions in Portugal and Spain, which helps us to mitigate risk, but the current scenario for the main producing region and main pear variety shows us we have a couple of challenges ahead in the next years. Looking at overall pear production, volumes will likely be equal, but possibly even a bit less, especially for Rocha. We have slightly more volume of other winter varieties, but these are relatively new investments.”
Weather conditions have contributed to challenges during cultivation, as the lack of cold temperatures has made it hard-
er for flowering, Feirreira explains: “The weather has given us higher than usual temperatures combined with high humidity as well. These factors help proliferate threats to our orchard during the summer months. Also, the lack of cold hours during the winter has made it harder to have good flowering and proper hibernation for the fruit trees.”
Granfer hopes to get more of a foothold in the Middle Eastern market for their pears. “For us at Granfer, Europe and the Americas are the main export markets. We’re also developing other markets, like the Middle East with our summer pears, and have started supplying two countries recently in West Africa, with our wide array of pear varieties,” Ferreira says.
Overall, the last Rocha pear season in Portugal was a very difficult one. According to Ferreira, this had to do with multiple factors: “The previous pear season was rather difficult. We had to deal with
fire blight, dark spots and sunburn, so last year brought a bundle of some of the worst challenges we could imagine. The fire blight definitely compromised the short-term potential for Rocha pear in the Oeste region, the orchards are halved, either because trees were chopped in half or completely removed to control the blight. The dark spots and sunburn also appeared near the harvest season, further reducing the total yield.”
Despite the challenging Rocha pear season last year, the clientele is really loyal and committed to the product, Ferreira
states. “We’re hoping for the best season possible with the current available yield, delivering approximately the same quantities available last year to our longtime Rocha clients. We really have a great consumer base for Rocha which we are very grateful for. Still, we’re always looking towards the future and new markets, especially as Granfer keeps investing in more plantations and other varieties.”
Granfer has also started their apple season, and Ferreira expects it to be a thrilling season: “Next to pears, we also have our apple season and it is looking to be an
exciting season. We have new plantations, new growers and new markets. Our total volumes are also expected to be slightly higher than they during the previous season. Our apples are exported to the Amer-
icas, West Africa and the Middle East, we are actively looking for new clients in each of these markets.”
Picked in Southern Spain, Hub Valencia and Perpignan, just as fresh in Northern/Eastern Europe.
Ferreira emphasizes that the Portuguese apple has come a long way in terms of popularity. The apples are exported to various continents. “We have a wide range of apples, from Premium Alcobaça Gala, Fuji, Candine® which is a club variety as well as standard Gala apples, among others, which fit different customer profiles and budgets. We basically have an apple for everyone. Portuguese apples are becoming more and more known, and our Alcobaça Apple - Maçã de Alcobaça has conquered a well-deserved place as a high-quality apple in European, American and African markets.”
Overall, Ferreira is excited for the complete Portuguese top fruit season: “We trust that our ongoing investments and a favourable market this year will support us in further reaching our goals and delivering our crunchy red and green variety apples to new consumers. Our aim is to fulfil the expectation of our apple consumers, particularly all of the Alcobaça Apple fans, as well as to develop our other lines and varieties. It will also be important to gain the trust of our clients in the new markets.”
Connecting Europe for a sustainable future
Brazil sees slow recovery from worst floods in decades
The 103 page flood damage technical report prepared for the Governor of Brazils worst affected Rio do Grande Sul province reads like a post-apocalyptic movie script, but with very really consequences for human lives and fruit growing. Some say the floods in this large province are the biggest yet seen. While the world seems to have moved on with many other disasters around the world since then, including raging wild fires in the State of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The recovery of people, productive land and communities in Brazil is going to take several years experts say.
As for estimating the extent of damage to agriculture, the survey carried out by the company EMATER, which is the State’s rural extension and technical assistance agency details the impact of rain and floods in rural growing areas.
From the end April to 24 May, 2024 rainfall and resultant flooding, mudslides
severely affected infrastructure, water supplies, primary production and fruit growing – 78 municipalities were in a state of calamity and 340 in an emergency situation. “During the period of extreme rains and floods, 9,158 locations were affected in the State of Rio Grande do Sul….problems for the flow of production from 4,548 communities…This highlights
the urgency of investments in infrastructure reconstruction and repair to restore access and connectivity in rural areas…” notes the report.
Damage was done to citrus fruit with local vegetables not spared either. Potato production losses of 51,885 tons and 2,972 hectares are affected. Brocolli losses are 39,258 tons with 1,886 hectares affected. This is not to mention the huge damage to soy, rice and other staple crops.
Ing. Paulo Lipp, from the Citriculture Sector Chamber of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Sustainable Production and Irrigation (Seapi) in Brazil who is on the ground with growers and communities from day one explains:
“The recovery will still take a long time. The issue of soil loss is a major concern in
areas where rivers and rain have washed away land. Extension and research agents have visited the sites and sought to provide guidance on how to restore these areas. But it’s a long-term job. Many farmers were unable to return to their properties. Many producers lost their animals such as dairy cows, pigs, horses and others.
So there are several types of producers affected. A smaller group that suffered total losses, while others had losses ranging from 20 to 90% of their crops and the infrastructure of their properties.
Indeed, the situation of these people who have lost practically everything is very serious. Some in smaller numbers are giving up on continuing in the activity. Other farmers who suffered smaller losses are trying to get back on their feet.
The federal government is considering those who had 30% or more losses to receive compensation from bank financing. Farmer representatives want help to also go to those who do not have bank loans. Ultimately, this topic is still being
analysed and new measures should be taken from the federal government in the coming days.
In the state capital, Porto Alegre, the air port is currently out of operation and is expected to return to normal for inter national flights only in December and
domestic flights in October. And this is causing great damage to trade, tourism and many other activities. The bus station is still operating precariously. The train that connects neighbouring cities cannot reach PortoAlegre due to road repairs that have not yet been completed.
Regarding housing both in cities and in the interior, thousands lost their homes, destroyed by the floodwaters. It was never imagined that houses would have to face this climatic disaster because the last flood similar to these proportions, but smaller, was in 1941. Some are receiving resources to rent another property and others are receiving houses, but in a very low number, close to the total that would need help.
Both the government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and the Federal Government of Brazil are helping within their possibilities. In addition, there has been international help from several Mercos-
either as loans or in smaller amounts as non-refundable aid.
In the case of citrus and pecans whose harvests were just beginning when the floods occurred, the losses are large regions in the river valleys. In other regions, harvests continue and in the case of citrus, ensuring supply to the state’s internal market.”
Jorge de Souza, from Abrafrutas representing Brazil’s fruit exporters says unpredictable weather patterns negatively affects their fruit and vegetable harvest volumes. “Sometimes severe drought conditions and sometimes too much rainfalls have slightly affected our production regions. From January to June 2024, the performance of the export operations achieved 8% below the same period of 2023 (volume) and 5% above in regards to half-year billing.”
He says the recent flooding fortunately did not reach the export fruit sector in Brazil. “The area affected by the floods is not relevant from a citrus and nuts perspective. It is basically formed by valleys close to some rivers. No relevant fruit production in it!”
STATE OF SÃO PAULO IN BRAZIL TO SEE MORE HEATWAVES COMING IN THE FUTURE
Growers, exporters and the fresh produce industry in the State of São Paulo, must brace themselves for continued harsh-
er and extreme weather. Climate experts in Brazil warn that the current heatwave and drought conditions in the State of Sao Paulo will only increase in the future.
The state is a major citrus growing region with many lime farms. The Geological Institute and the Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (Cetesb), through the research done indicates that part of the state could become up to 6°C hotter by 2050, in addition to having heat waves lasting more than 150 days. This will have an effect on exports with leading markets like Europe having to take note of developments in a big supplying country like Brazil. Long term adaption and investment to mitigate the climate challenges are key for growers and exporters in Brazil.
De Souza and his colleagues at Abrafrutas advises and support growers and exporters to continue harvesting and exporting the different fruit and vegetables. “We do this by organizing the sector regarding competitive advantages – in governance, technology, commercial intelligence, etc. –and by supporting the opening of new international markets, mainly in Asia.”
Despite advances to increase export to Asia, Europe remains a key market for Brazil’s fruit and vegetable exports. “Europe remains as the most important destination for the sector and we are always promoting our fruits and derivatives in the European countries. Brazil is an excellent
choice as a reliable fruit supplier with a wide range of fruit species and varieties produced all year round. Besides that, the exporters are committed to good production practices and strongly support the ESG initiatives,” notes De Souza.
Fruit Attraction in Madrid is a key exhibition with more Brazilian companies attending each year concludes De Souza. “There is a positive expectation about having the higher number of exporters taking part in the trade show with the traditional and new products such as ginger and spices.”
lippjoao@yahoo.com.br jorge.abrafrutas@gmail.com
What’s behind the surge in greenhouse vegetable?
The production cost of fresh produce has been steadily rising in recent years. What’s behind the price increase, and how is it expected to continue? And how will this affect Spain’s position as the leading producer and exporter of fruits and vegetables in Europe? “When the prices growers receive do not cover their production costs, growers face financial strain, which could lead to reduced investment in future planting cycles or even abandonment of horticultural activities,” producer organization ASAJA-Almería warns.
After a low inflation rate in 2014, and even negative inflation in 2015, the Eurozone saw a 1-2% inflation rate between 2016 and 2019. However, after the pandemic initially caused reduced inflation, and even deflation, 2021 saw recovering economies, and, driven by supply chain disruptions and peaking energy prices, a 5% inflation rate in 2021. 2022 saw the highest inflation levels in decades, primarily due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which caused energy prices to spike. Gas, oil, and food prices soared, leading to double-digit inflation in several EU countries. Eurozone inflation peaked at over 10% in October 2022. While inflation rates in 2023 began to moderate, they remained elevated.
Food production has been hit hard by the same developments causing inflation, and some have even hit food production harder than other industries.
LABOUR
In a Spanish greenhouse dedicated to tomato cultivation, labor accounts for
approximately 40% of the production cost, and recent changes in Spain’s minimum wage have significantly impacted the cost of fresh produce, experts state. Over the past decade, Spain has seen a substantial increase in its national minimum wage. From 2008 to 2024, Spain’s minimum monthly wage increased by approximately 89%, rising from 600 euros to 1,134 euros. This rise is particularly notable in 2019 when the government passed a decree that boosted the minimum wage by 164 euros, bringing it to 900 euros per month, the largest single increase in the country’s history. Similarly, the minimum daily wage has also increased, standing at 37.8 euros in 2024 compared to 20 euros in 2008. This consistent rise in labor costs has made it more expensive to produce and harvest crops.
INPUT COSTS
Other important components of the cost of production in Spanish greenhouses are input costs, with fertilizers and phytosanitary products being signifi-
cant. Especially given the outbreak of the tomato virus ToBRFV, hygiene and plant strength became more important—but during the same period, the costs of these products have increased. Global increases in oil prices have driven up the cost of fertilizers and pesticides. In the years after the pandemic, the energy crisis and supply chain disruptions, combined with geopolitical tensions and export restrictions, caused a dramatic rise in prices. Although they stabilized afterward, the price level has remained high ever since. And although the Spanish horticultural industry is not as dependent on energy as the Northern European industry, it is still a factor that contributes to higher costs; for example, the diesel used in greenhouse machines.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Other factors driving up the cost of producing fresh produce in Spain include the impact of climate change. Spain’s horticultural industry is highly dependent on favorable weather conditions, but recent years have seen an increase in extreme
Almería
weather events such as droughts, heatwaves, and unexpected frosts. Aside from affecting the yield, it also results in higher input costs. Spain used to be one of the countries in Europe with the cheapest water, but now periods of shortages are more and more pronounced. Alicante inaugurated a desalination plant in 2014, but the price of water is much higher than that of traditional water sources.
In response to these challenges, and in an effort to lower the use of fertilizers, water, and crop protection products, growers might decide to invest in greenhouses or hydroponic growing systems. In Spain, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, there are just over 45,000 hectares of tomato cultivation, producing more than 3.5 million tons per year. Of these 45,000 hectares, almost 29,000 are open fields, while about 15,600 are protected, using greenhouses or tunnels. “These investments might enable growers to increase their production and even lower the labor costs per harvested kilo. But the prices of these investments have also increased significantly. The plastic inputs used to create greenhouse covers have surged due to the energy crisis, logistical chain disruptions increased the price of substrates, and the lack of available skilled labor resulted in higher installation costs.”
COMPETITION
The global market for fresh produce is highly competitive, and Spanish producers face pressure from other countries with lower production costs, with Morocco being the most significant competitor. To remain competitive, Spanish producers are investing in quality, innovation, and marketing.
On May 24, 2022, NASA captured this natural-color image of a sea of plastic greenhouses around the town of El Ejido
ALARM BELL
All this wouldn’t be a big issue if the prices of produce matched the surged cost of production. This summer, producer organization ASAJA-Almería mentioned a considerable production increase, reaching 3.82 million tonnes, 14% more than last season. “This is mainly due to better control of viruses and pests, favorable weather during the campaign, and an increase in production area.” However, due to the drop in prices, a 22% decrease in the overall value of production was also noted, leading ASAJA-Almería to ring the alarm bell. “This situation in an environment of high costs has caused us to face the worst campaign of the last 3 years,” they say.
According to ASAJA, the balance of the 2023-2024 horticultural campaign
reveals solid growth in terms of surface area and production, highlighting the sector’s efforts to improve cultivation and management techniques. “However, the fall in prices has represented a significant challenge for farmers, negatively affecting the value of production. Facing these market fluctuations will be key to the future stability and prosperity of the Almería horticultural sector.”
Networked production for salad processing
A SMART line with optimized hygiene goes into operation in Northern Germany
Intelligent control and easy operation
SMART production lines in which the individual machines communicate with each other and are controlled from a central unit facilitate efficient, automated production with low personnel requirements. This summer, one of these innovative SMART processing lines from KRONEN was successfully installed and put into operation at the facility of a major salad processing company in Northern Germany. With its central control unit, the line facilitates the continuous, gentle processing of delicate salad leaves and ensures consistently high-quality results.
The new SMART line from KRONEN enables the customer to react to the growing staff shortage by offering continuous salad processing that minimizes the number of operating personnel required. The fact that the machines can communicate and are networked allows them to be controlled by a central unit. The settings for the processing of different products, for example different salad mixes, can be saved and accessed at any time to guarantee a consistently high product quality. Parameters such as the belt and knife speed of the GS 10-2 belt cutting machine and the settings of the spray nozzles and valves of the HEWA washing machines are saved as recipes to ensure that the processing can be optimally adapted to the products being processed. The central control of the line via these saved settings means that the operating personnel are only required to select the product-specific recipe. All settings, including the water flow rate in the backwater, feeding and circulation pipework, can be adjusted via the central control unit with integrated recipe and user management. The user roles with different authorizations ensure that changes can only be made by appropriately trained personnel. This helps to avoid incorrect (manual) settings during processing.
Traceability for constant quality
The central control unit additionally transmits machine and setting data to superordinate systems for evaluations and traceability. Quality-relevant data such as the water temperature or water consumption data are recorded and can be analyzed. The special cleaning menu makes cleaning the machines easier, and the confirmation required upon completion of the cleaning process ensures traceability and makes it easier for users to comply with hygiene standards.
Efficient, hygienic salad processing
The KRONEN line is specially designed for processing sensitive products such as baby leaf lettuce and mixed leaf salads. Once the products have passed through the trimming table for 4 people and a GS 10-2 belt cutting machine, the integrated HEWA washing
machines use their hygienic design to ensure a high degree of food safety, which in turn facilitates faster and thorough machine cleaning. The HELICAL washing system guarantees the ideal distribution and rinsing of the product in the wash tank for thorough and gentle washing.
An automatic basket carousel makes the product easier to handle and transfer to the drying and packaging stages once it has been washed. After passing through the drying system, the salad mixes are moved onto a twin-head weigher, weighed into portions and subsequently packed with a packaging machine from the KRONEN partner GKS Packaging B.V.
About KRONEN GmbH
KRONEN is a family-managed globally operating producer and supplier of stand-alone machines, special-purpose machines and high-tech processing facilities for the fresh-cut industry. The product portfolio of KRONEN and its partners covers fruit, vegetable and lettuce processing: from preparing, cutting, washing, drying, dewatering, peeling and sterilizing right through to packaging.
KRONEN additionally offers machines for the processing of meat and fish, special vegan products, baked goods and pet food.
The company, which is based in the German town of Kehl am Rhein and has a second production site in the nearby town of Achern, currently employs more than 130 members of staff, has representatives in over 80 countries worldwide and supplies its products to more than 120 nations all over the globe.
With more than 45 years of experience in food technology, KRONEN prides itself on its quality awareness and constantly strives to achieve the best possible solutions in its day-to-day work. The machine manufacturer focuses on taking a sustainable, holistic approach toward the hygienic, reliable and resource-friendly production of fresh foods. KRONEN considers itself to be a think tank that provides innovative solutions to benefit its customers and meet all their needs. It guarantees top-quality advice and planning expertise in close cooperation with the industry and research establishments.
Nursery
Kiwi : Hayward , Tomuri , Bounty71
Olivo : Galega , Arbequina
Rootstock : Gf677 , Ucb1 , 29c
Rainer
Wittenfeld from the Perishable Center at Frankfurt Airport:
“Connection to
South
America and Africa can still be greatly expanded”
Every year, tons of green asparagus, mangoes, jackfruit and mangosteen are flown to Europe. For almost 30 years, a significant proportion of this produce has been handled, dispatched and distributed from Frankfurt’s Perishable Center, Europe’s largest handling center for perishable air cargo. Despite numerous challenges in the air freight sector, Rainer Wittenfeld, Managing Director of the PCF, is confident about the future.
Founded in 1995, the Perishable Center has 20 monitored temperature zones from -25 to +25 °C and is authorized to import, inspect, store and handle temperature-sensitive goods from third countries into the EU in accordance with EU
import regulations. Thanks to the optimal location at Frankfurt International Airport, the goods can be handled around the clock and in the shortest possible time. On top of this, there are the bundled, official quality controls and direct on-site
inspections by the veterinary office and BLE. Currently, 120,000 tons per yeararound 45 percent of which is fruit and vegetables - are handled.
The handling volume of green asparagus (primarily from Peru) has increased significantly in recent years. Up to 70 percent of the total volume is handled on behalf of airlines, above all Lufthansa Cargo. Picture: Marketing and Distribution Manager Stergios Boudrikas inspects the Peruvian green asparagus immediately after arrival.
EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC AND GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION
The trend in the air freight of fruit and vegetables has been characterized by strong fluc-tuations in recent years. During the pandemic, there was less fruit and vegetables, but this was compensated by an increase in volume in the pharmaceutical sector. Corona was followed by the wars in Ukraine and Israel. Wittenfeld: “This is forcing air freight companies to fly around Ukraine. At the same time, there are noticeably fewer flights to and from Israel, which is also detrimental to the perishables sector.” Another aspect is the freight rates. “To say that these are at a sustainably high level would simply be wrong. However, I am of the opinion that there have always been and will continue to be strong fluctuations, which in turn is due to the interplay between supply and demand.”
AIR FREIGHT VS. SEA FREIGHT
Air freight is still commonplace, particularly for the transportation of small, high-quality products with a limited shelf life. In comparison, it takes five to six times as long to transport goods in containers or by sea freight. Nevertheless, sea freight is becoming increasingly important for sustainability reasons, among others. “Flowers, for example, are increasingly being shipped by container. This is also feasible to some extent for fruit exotics. In my opinion, social and generational change also play a decisive role here. Due to changing eating habits, there are already many younger people who no longer even know what an air mango is, for example. Nevertheless, air
Rainer Wittenfeld, CEO
A QUESTION OF ENTITLEMENT!
freight still offers the best conditions for getting higher-priced goods with a limited shelf life to the consumer as quickly as possible. I am therefore convinced that there will always be a certain basic demand for air freight, provided that the consumer’s economic situation allows this. In this respect, it is not only the costs along the logistics chain that play a decisive role, but also the development of purchasing power on the domestic market.”
EXPANSION POTENTIAL IN SOUTH AMERICA AND AFRICA
In certain continents, the connection to Germany and Europe can still be greatly expanded, says Wittenfeld. This applies in particular to South America and Africa, two strong sourcing regions for the European agricultural markets. “In turn, the connection is also heavily dependent on mutual import and export requirements. After all, you not only need a full outbound flight, but also a corresponding return load so that the airline is profitable. In other words, we always need something to be flown there so that it is worth flying something back. This is dif-
ficult to achieve in an important agricultural export country like Peru, for example: Although tons of green asparagus are flown to Europe every year, there is little demand for European goods in return. To make matters worse, as a pure service provider, we are only a small piece in the overall chain and therefore have no practical influence on airline developments. In this respect, we are largely dependent on the strategic decisions of the airlines.”
Nevertheless, Wittenfeld is currently observing some encouraging developments. “Lufthansa is already trying to establish new routes to South America, which would be very interesting for the Perishables segment. Argentina, Peru and Brazil are of course very strong production countries in the agricultural products sector, but without a direct connection to Germany. This means that the goods have so far been flown in either via Mexico City or Miami and repacked there, which also involves a certain loss of shelf life due to the time involved. We are also watching with great interest which passenger flights are offered. On a passen-
ger flight to a relevant destination such as the Dominican Republic, for example, there are still a few tons that can be increased by means of freight, taking into account the passengers and luggage. Although these are smaller volumes, they add up when several flights arrive per day or week. An additional advantage of a smaller volume is that the goods can be handled more quickly. This is definitely an interesting alternative to cargo flights, which - as already mentioned - require a certain amount of outward and return cargo to be profitable.”
rainer.wittenfeld@pcf-frankfurt.de
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Daniel Badger – Vitafresh Produce:
“The oversupply leads to inevitable lower prices in the UK and in fact creates shortages in Europe meaning higher prices there”
Daniel Badger, Managing Director at Vitafresh Produce has worked in the fresh produce industry for almost 20 years, he set up his own company in October 2019 after having worked for importers in procurement and sales. His vision was to create a forward-thinking business that sources top-quality fresh produce from around the world for the UK and European markets. Vitafresh Produce sources many of its products from South Africa, where the company already had an established presence. In May of this year, Daniel decided to relocate to South Africa to expand and grow the South African side of the business. He has been joined there by colleague Dani Ivanova.
“Iwanted to focus on our existing South African business and concentrate on growing it. We already have a solid fruit business and butternut squash too, but we are pushing to do much more volume with citrus including lemons and oranges and clementines and Murcotts and grapes,” explains Daniel.
Daniel highlighted several benefits of relocating, including being close to the farms, having the ability to personally oversee operations, and enjoying the
great lifestyle and scenery that the area offers
“We have been spending a lot of time building new partnerships as well as growing old partnerships too. People are keen to work with us as they see an exciting opportunity through Vitafresh to export products all around the world and not just back to UK / Europe. We have created Vitafresh Exports based here in south Africa to offer global solutions to customers and growers all over the world in our vast range of fruit and vegetables.”
As well as citrus and butternut squash Vitafresh exports grapes, blueberries, sweet potatoes, figs, dates, carrots and pumpkins. These products are now exported to destinations around the world.
SOUTH AFRICAN CITRUS
South African citrus exporters have always faced challenges, be it logistics, port disruptions or rejections. This year has been no different.
“This year exporters are seeing rejections in Europe due to over exceedance in MRLs, citrus blackspot and citrus cancer which is banned in EU but allowed in UK.
“This is nothing new, it’s been happening for a long time, but this year seems to be far worse than before. If tests come back showing exceedance of MRLs or any sign of Black Spot or Citrus Cancer then the whole block that the fruit was grown on
is then blocked from the EU also the fruit which is in transit, the shipments then have to be diverted. Of course, the UK is no longer part of the EU which means that we have different restrictions to Europe in terms of allowances, resulting in the rejected fruit is usually being send to the UK.
OVERSUPPLY ON THE UK MARKET
“The biggest problem this causes is oversupply in the UK. Also, there is no way of telling in advance when this is going to happen. This means that when you are buying and planning fruit shipments you cannot account for sudden influxes from EU banned product. The oversupply leads to inevitable lower prices in the UK and in fact creates shortages in Europe meaning higher prices there.
“We can and have helped a lot of growers in need with shipments stuck in Europe which cannot be sold there, or fruit on the water heading toward Europe. We take the fruit into our stock in UK and sell it to our trusted partners and customers all over the UK and indeed around the world. This ensures that growers will get some returns for their produce and not have to destroy the product in EU.”
FULL GLOBAL OFFER FROM EVERYWHERE TO EVERYWHERE
“A large portion of our exports to the rest of the world come from South Africa. So being on the ground here helps us to visit, build and maintain new relations with growers all over the country. If you put
this together with our extensive knowledge of buying fruit and vegetables from all around the world then we have a full global offer from everywhere to everywhere.
“The UK company handles UK imports and we are handling the exports to rest of the world from here.”
Vitafresh Exports are hoping to do 1000 containers in the first year, this should continue to grow year on year.
“We want to bring somebody into our operation here in South Africa with experience to help to grow this business too. Our UK operation is still very much our bread and butter and we will still support that from here with even more produce for them to sell on that side. Tim and Harvey are running things from the UK and we are going to be adding somebody in to build and grow the operation there.”
dbadger@vitafreshproduce.com
Daniel with a butternut squash grower
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“With the
expansion,
we
can further provide the speed and flexibility that today’s retail demands.”
Wolter Koops expects to be able to move into a new building at the beginning of 2025
Wolter Koops is in the process of constructing a new building at its existing location in Venlo. This expansion, which will be built alongside the current facilities, is intended to further assist the company in optimizing its logistics processes towards Germany. The building, located in Fresh Park in Venlo, serves as ‘the gateway to Germany’ for Wolter Koops, which is essential for the distribution of its fruits and vegetables. “We deliver to the German retail seven days a week, picking up products from large cultivation companies in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, and grouping them in Venlo. Moreover, products are kept in stock at the temperature desired by the customer, and we also offer services such as quality control, order picking, and empty goods management,” says Rob Riezebos from Wolter Koops.
Wolter Koops is an international service provider in temperature-controlled transport and logistics. The company started in 1961 with one truck and has grown over the years to various locations in the Netherlands (Venlo, Bemmel, Zeewolde), Germany (Alzenau, Sülzetal), and Poland (Komorniki).
“With a young fleet on the European road network, we provide daily transport and distribution of fresh products to wholesalers and retailers in Europe.” This is not just about transport, but also about the overall logistics surrounding it: “From groupage, cross-docking, warehousing to packaging management and supply chain management,” Rob explains.
Strategic location and growing capacity
The Venlo branch of the company is primarily set up for the logistics of fresh vegetables and fruit, which, along with flowers and plants, accounts for a large portion of the customer base. The rest of the logistics services include products such as cheese, butter, meat, and frozen goods. “Actually, everything that needs to be transported, stored, and cross-docked in a temperature-controlled environment. Here we have a suitable network and team of specialists for each product group,” Rob continues.
The existing cross-dock centre in Venlo will be further expanded by an additional 11,000 square meters. With the existing 11,000 square meters, the location will grow to a total area of 22,000 square meters. “Thus, after the realization, we will have more cold storage facilities at our disposal, from which we can then deliver directly to the German retail market.”
“Retailers are increasingly working without inventories these days and are relying on just-in-time delivery.” As a result, it is essential that you are present when the products are needed, because otherwise there will be empty shelves. Due to our scale, we can guarantee this. “It does happen sometimes that a party is suddenly disapproved, but this way we can quickly adapt and provide a solution,” said Rob. “We have about 1,100 of our own trucks, which allows us to always respond flexibly and quickly from our location in Venlo
when needed. Additionally, we can offer the same services from our other locations in Germany, Sülzetal (for the East German market) and Alzenau (for the South German market).”
Operational efficiency
In addition to the expansion of the facilities, Wolter Koops is also making strides in sustainability, Rob states. In 2024, the company received the third Lean and Green star. A culmination of their efforts to reduce CO2 emissions in the logistics chain. “We have primarily made a profit by organizing our operations more efficiently. By grouping products at one location and driving full trucks to Germany, we have significantly reduced the number of kilometres driven per pallet,” Rob explains.
The new building will also be constructed with sustainability in mind, equipped with solar panels and other new technologies to achieve the BREEAM Excellent label. “It is increasingly important to work sustainably, both for ourselves and our clients. This is not just about the materials we use, but also about how we treat our people and manage our processes.”
Start of 2025
Despite the delays caused by well-known issues in construction, Rob looks ahead with confidence to the completion of the new building. “ The first pile was driven in the second quarter of this year, but because of the nitrogen problem, things had been quiet for a while. It is now in full swing again, and we expect to be finished by January
2025. The floors are now in place, and the work is progressing well. We are also creating a large parking lot for our truck combinations, which will be located directly off the highway. Of course, the necessary arrangements are also being made for our drivers,” he outlines.
With the expansion, Wolter Koops expects to continue its steady growth. “We continue to commit ourselves to serving our customers optimally, with the speed and flexibility that today’s retail demands. For now, we are looking forward to the beginning of 2025, when we can finally move into our new building,” concludes Rob. (JF) rob@wolterkoops.nl
Modern logistics centres enable us to offer our customers a complete logistics solution.
If your product is delivered to our logistics centre in Venlo before 6:00 PM, it will be delivered throughout Germany the next day.
We make use of modern and well maintained equipment. Our levels of innovation and automation allow our logistics solutions to be efficient, flexible and transparent, enabling us to keep you well-informed on the status of your shipments.
Koops Logistics B.V.
Fabricageweg 20 3899 AV Zeewolde
+31 36 521 98 00 www.wolterkoops.com
Logistics centres in Venlo, Alzenau, Sülzetal
Venlo
Germany
Spain
Spain is Italy’s fourth largest fruit export destination
Spain exports more than twice as much fruit to Italy each year as Italy exports to the Iberian country. Over the last three years, Spanish fruit exports to Italy reached almost 500 000 tons per year, worth more than €700 billion, compared with 180,000 tons per year for Italy, worth around €235 billion. However, there is a similarity between the two, that is, slightly decreasing volumes and increasing value of fruit sold.
Citrus fruits are the most exported fruit from Spain to Italy (around 200,000 tons per year), accounting for 34% of the total. These are mainly oranges, lemons and clementines, all of which are in decline year-over-year. This is followed by various stone fruits (almost 100,000 tons/ year), including peaches-nectarines (22% of the total, but with a slight decrease in recent years), apricots (3%, stable) and cherries (increasing). It is worth noting the distinction between the quantities of
Source: CSO Italy analysis based on Eurostat data
peaches and nectarines, which can only be made for year 2023, depending on the variety: 20% nectarines, 39% nectarines and 41% peaches.
Around 45,000 tons of pears are sold on the Italian market, which is increasing due to the country’s production deficit. The marketing of watermelons and melons is gradually increasing year by year, accounting for 3% and 2% of the total
respectively, with around 10,000 tons each.
Strawberries are the next most important crop, usually around 25-28,000 tons. However, while the handling of small fruit tends to increase, the total volume decreased by about 20,000 tons in 2023.
The small number of references also limits Italian fruit exports to Spain. The first three species alone account for well over
Venlo
Source: CSO Italy analysis based on Eurostat data
80% of the total handled over the years. Among these, apples have a prominent position with 56% of the total, followed by kiwis with 18%, and table grapes with 10%. There is only one fruit that has seen increased trade in recent years and that is bananas.
An analysis of historical data by marketing year shows a trend of significant growth in Italian apple exports to Spain
over the years, with shipments in 202324 approaching 100,000 tons, similar to the previous marketing season. The value has also shown a tendency to increase. Historically, the volume of apples shipped to Spain has been the second largest after direct sales to Germany.
Positive results for kiwifruit, with flows to Spain maintained at around 27,000 tons in 2023/24 (+18% in 2022/23), despite
the production shortfalls of recent years. Thanks to high average annual prices, kiwi exports in the last campaign were at a good level of over €56 million. Spain has always been one of the podium destinations for Italian exports, behind Germany, but with a similar volume to that of Belgium and France.
Table grape exports in 2023 were lower than in previous years, at just over 18 000 tons, compared with an average of 25 000 tons in the previous three years (-27%). However, the modest quantities were accompanied by a value of more than EUR 44 million, only slightly less than in 2022 (-2%). This decline could be linked to the reduction in the Italian harvest, which was hampered by production problems. Nevertheless, Spain remained, as usual, the fourth most important destination for Italian exports, ahead of Germany, France and Poland.
Álvaro and Juan M. González, from Tropicsur:
“The Valencian Community has great potential to give a significant boost to Spain’s
subtropical
sector”
There are many reasons for the decision to put avocados on the spotlight in the 2024 edition of Fruit Attraction. The crop’s success has gone hand in hand with the global expansion of its cultivation and consumption, and Spain, due to its privileged location in the south of the European continent and the efforts of a sector that correctly predicted the fruit’s market potential, has become the largest producer of avocados in the European Union, accounting for 77.5% of the avocado acreage in the entire European Union, according to Faostat data from 2022.
The anticipated Spanish season has already kicked off with the green-skinned varieties Bacon and Fuerte, which are increasingly in demand, and in a
matter of weeks, the Hass avocado season will also start in a year marked, once again, by water scarcity. “The 2023/24 Spanish season has been an average cam-
paign in terms of volume, but the quality has been very high, as always,”says Álvaro González, from Tropicsur.” This is not surprising, because in Spain we have the right expertise, and our avocados are renowned precisely for their superior quality.”
“We didn’t reach the volumes than we would have liked, and which would have allowed us to continue with the domestic campaign for longer, so we had to start importing earlier. However, in general terms, and not just for Tropicsur, the campaign has been quite good, with medium/ high prices and no peaks or swings.”
“The forecast for this year is that the situation will remain quite similar, possibly with even better quality, and with volumes that we hope will be a little greater, since the demand for Spanish avocados is very high.”
CONSUMPTION OF EXOTIC AND TROPICAL FRUITS IN SPANISH HOUSEHOLDS SURPASSED THAT OF CITRUS FRUITS IN 2023.
In general, the consumption of avocados and tropical fruits has been growing exponentially in recent decades and they now have a prominent place for consum-
ers. Focusing on Spain, it is worth noting that while there has been a downward trend in fresh fruit consumption since 2008 (except for the exceptional year 2020), exotic fruits, including avocado, banana, kiwi or cherimoya, stand out as the only fruit segment that has recorded increases in consumption, with a 17.8% growth in Spanish households.
In fact, according to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s 2023 Consumption Report, exotics were the most consumed type of fresh fruit last year, accounting for 23.9% of the mar-
ket volume. For the first time, they have surpassed citrus fruits, which have traditionally led this ranking, and avocados have undoubtedly helped in boosting this figure.
“The success of avocados is undeniable. It’s an extremely healthy and very versatile fruit with a spectacular flavor. Worthy of note is the sector’s professionalization and all the work it has done to be always able to offer consumers a good avocado. This has been fundamental in boosting its consumption, and not only in Spain.”
“Avocado exporters, such as Peru, have been improving their pre- and post-harvest processes in the last decade, and today they are shipping fruit in unbeatable condition to destinations worldwide. We can therefore count on a very good quality off-season product and can offer a constant supply all year round.”
“However, for us, Spanish avocados are still the best avocados in the world; for their organoleptic characteristics, for their dry matter content and for being a local product with a minimal carbon footprint. Today our product is the most appreciated in terms of quality, although obviously not in terms of volume, because so far we have only been able to grow avocados on the shores of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. However, everything seems to suggest that there are going to be Galician, Asturian and Cantabrian avocados very soon (in fact, there are already some
“WE HAVE INCREASED OUR IMPORTS BY 300%”
There are several suppliers helping keep the avocado supply constant throughout the year, and Peru is one of the most outstanding. Peruvian shipments have been increasing year after year, until totaling more than 133,000 tons in 2023, according to data from Datacomex.
In Mexico, the world’s largest avocado producer, Spanish imports have recorded a significant drop, from almost 34,000 tons in 2021 to 8,500 in 2023; however, imports from the Dominican Republic, Colombia or Ecuador have increased significantly, and while their figures were originally lower, they have practically doubled in 2023 compared to 2022, while Brazil’s have tripled. Another supplier that also stands out for having significantly increased its shipments is Israel, which so far in 2024 has multiplied its avocado shipments to Spain
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“Thanks to its acreage and the volumes it produces, Peru has established itself as a leading exporter, with a campaign that allows all subtropical companies to keep programs running for 35-40 weeks a year, thus making it easier for us to provide the service demanded by retail chains, caterers, wholesalers and even the spot market itself.”
“However, for us at Tropicsur, Chile is still one of the best overseas avocado specialists. They handle the product very well, and they have perfected the post-harvest and are achieving a very homogeneous ripening. In fact, the country has become a very important supplier for us, and in this second year that we are working with them we have increased our imports by 300%.”
“IN NOVEMBER, WE WILL LAUNCH OUR NEW FACILITIES IN ALICANTE”
Spain is undoubtedly the largest avocado producer in Europe, with about 20,000 hectares devoted to the crop. Malaga and Granada are the tropical fruit producing areas par excellence; however, considerable growth has been recorded in other Andalusian provinces, such as Huelva and Cadiz, as well as in the Valencian Community, where the cultivation of subtropical fruits is expected to continue to develop strongly.
“At Tropicsur, we have been marketing avocados from the Valencian Community for 8 years now. It has become an
important growing area for us, and volumes are increasing every year. That is why we decided to set up a new reception and handling center there, equipped with cold storage and ripening chambers. These facilities will become operational in November this year,” says Juan Miguel González.
“With these new facilities, which will be located in Alicante, we will be much closer to the producers of Valencia, Castellon and Alicante, and we will be able to give them a more personal service. We will also be considerably cutting costs, as all our fruit needed to be brought to Malaga for handling, and around 95% of that volume was sent back to the north by the same route. Therefore, we will significantly lower our carbon footprint, while also avoiding unnecessary risks on the road.”
“We will have a warehouse with 2,800 m² of handling space; larger, in fact, than the facilities in Malaga. We will be applying the same working formula and know-how that we have in Alhaurín El Grande, and which have allowed Tropicsur to become a leading specialist in Spain’s subtropical sector.”
“With this move, we also aim to be closer to the major purchasing centers of the main Spanish and European supermarkets, many of which are located in the Valencian Community, and facilitate the supply to large-scale distributors
throughout the continent. Moreover, we want to position ourselves as a leader in the marketing of Valencian avocados. To this end, one of the largest avocado producers in the autonomous community has been incorporated to our shareholding. This will allow Tropicsur to reach 100 hectares of own production, with an estimated volume of 800 to 1000 tons per year.
“WE WANT TO MAKE PRODUCERS IN THE VALENCIAN COMMUNITY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT MANGO CULTIVATION”
“We have other big plans for the Valencian Community. Namely, we want to bring them the knowledge about mango cultivation acquired in Malaga, and make producers there enthusiastic about working with the crop.”
“Because of the type of soil and climate, we are sure that there are high areas in the Valencian Community in which avocados are already grown which would also be highly suited for mangoes; therefore, we will undertake an experimental cultivation project with 3 hectares, so that producers can see the crop’s viability and are encouraged to try it.”
“The Valencian Community still has great potential to give a significant boost to Spain’s subtropical sector.”
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Agroexportadora Sol de Olmos: Innovation and growth in the export of garlic and limes from Peru
In the last decade, Latin America’s agro-export sector has seen the rise of several companies that have managed to take advantage of the region’s potential. Among these, Agroexportadora Sol de Olmos has stood out for its innovation and leadership in the export of garlic and Tahiti limes. Since its creation in 2014, the company has transformed the local economy and gained a foothold in the international market.
PROMISING START AND STRATEGIC EXPANSION
Sol de Olmos first launched its operations in the Barranca Valley, focusing on the production of fresh garlic and dried peppers. Over time, the company became a pioneer in the export of these products, revolutionizing the economy of the province and turning it into the country’s main exporter of garlic and dried peppers. This initial success allowed the company to expand along the Peruvian coast, opening
new offices in Arequipa, Ica, Chimbote, Lambayeque and Piura, and diversifying its production with crops such as ancho chili, guajillo, Tahiti lime, Hass avocado, organic banana and mango.
Ricardo Solorzano Cadillo, CEO of Sol de Olmos, says that this growth has been possible thanks to the work of a team of highly trained professionals and the granting of various certifications that guarantee the quality of its products.
“Our goal has always been to meet the highest quality standards in the international market,” says Solorzano.
INNOVATION IN GARLIC PRODUCTION
In the previous season, Peru exported around 18,000 tons of fresh garlic, and although exports are expected to fall in 2024 due to a 30% reduction in the planted acreage, Solorzano says that Sol de Olmos is ready to face these challenges. The company plans to invest US$ 2 million in varietal and genetic improvement of garlic, as well as in agricultural technology, including state-of-the-art machinery for planting, harvesting, and post-harvesting; and a fresh garlic processing plant.
In 2023, Agroexportadora Sol de Olmos shipped more than 3 thousand tons of fresh garlic in bulk to the most important international markets, positioning itself as Peru’s number 1 exporter of this product, and in 2024, the company aims to export more than 5 thousand tons of fresh garlic while offering a wide range of products, including fresh garlic in bulk, peeled garlic and garlic paste. Arequipa is the main fresh garlic producing region in Peru.
CEO Ricardo Solorzano says “that currently, the U.S. market is imposing restrictions on Chinese garlic while Peru has been signing more free trade agreements with garlic importers such as Vietnam, Taiwan, the European Union, Mexico, Australia, Poland and the UK. This means that there are opportunities for Peru to increase its fresh garlic exports to these markets. To achieve this, it is necessary for companies to invest in the development of new methods to improve garlic productivity in Peru, just like Sol de Olmos is currently doing.”
“Peru has the advantage of being able to harvest fresh garlic in months when other countries cannot. This allows us to be a key supplier for markets such as North
America,” says Solorzano. Thanks to its new fresh garlic processing plant in Arequipa, the company expects to increase its production capacity to 10 containers per week, which should contribute significantly to the local economy and help create more sustainable jobs.
INDUSTRIALIZATION OF PEELED GARLIC IN BARRANCA
The opening in Barranca of the first processing plant for peeled garlic packed in modified atmosphere is considered an important milestone in the history of Sol de Olmos. This plant, the result of years of research and experience in the fresh garlic market, has required an investment of more than US$ 3 million in machinery and refrigeration technology. The plant will have an initial production capacity of 5 containers per week and it will mainly target the U.S. market with products such as peeled garlic in jars and doypack bags.
TAHITI LIME PRODUCTION GROWTH
The production of Tahiti lime has seen a remarkable increase in the last decade. In 2014, Peru exported close to 2 million kilos, and in 2023, this figure reached 27 million kilos. Sol de Olmos has contribut-
ed significantly to this growth, exporting more than 40% of its volume to the United States. “Our Tahiti lime stands out for having a higher juice content than Mexican limes, which has allowed us to gain ground in the U.S. market,” says Solorzano.
In order to consolidate its position, the company has launched a processing plant (Agropacking Fesol Peru) in Sullana, Piura, with a production capacity of 30 tons per hour, three cooling tunnels and room to keep 40 containers in storage. This US$ 3 million investment will not only increase the firm’s export capacity, but will also allow a better processing and shipment of the limes.
DIVERSIFICATION AND INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
In addition to garlic and Tahiti lime, Sol de Olmos has expanded its portfolio with the production of organic banana and Hass avocado. With 120 hectares of organic bananas certified under GlobalG.A.P., Fairtrade and other international standards, the company exports mainly to South Korea, the Netherlands and the United States. In 2020, Sol de Olmos ventured into Hass avocado production, setting up 100 hectares and successfully exporting to China, Europe, the United States and Chile.
By 2025, the company plans to expand its Hass avocado acreage to 200 hectares, backed by certifications such as GlobalG.A.P. and Grasp, which ensure proper crop management and product quality.
COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Sol de Olmos is not only focused on economic growth, but also on social welfare and environmental protection. The company has international certifications backing its social responsibility, such as Fairtrade and Grasp. One of its most
prominent projects is the “Olmos Community Recycling Project”, which encourages recycling through the exchange of food for recyclable materials, which is beneficial for both families and the environment.
Moreover, the company has set up a mini-market in the community, where residents can obtain basic products at a low cost, helping them save time and resources. These initiatives are a testament to Sol de Olmos’s commitment to sustainable development and to improv-
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rsolorzano@soldeolmos.com
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psifuentes@soldeolmos.com
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“The industry has put lemon warehouses in a very difficult situation this year”
Spain has recorded an increase in its lemon production this season. According to data shared by the interprofessional organization AILIMPO, the production marketed from September 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024 increased by 19% compared to last season and come close to 1,100,700 tons; a higher amount, as expected, than that of the 2022/23 campaign, but lower than in the previous two campaigns. There has also been a significant 65% increase in the volumes delivered to the processing industry.
“The Fino lemon campaign has been difficult because of overproduction combined with a drop in organic citrus consumption due to the economic recession in Europe, which is also our main market. This has resulted in us having too high a supply for the existing demand,” says Cristobal Aguilera, Marketing Director of Toñifruit, “The presence of fruit from third countries has also taken a great toll on prices, which have been very low, both
for the products at source and for packaged goods, failing to even cover the production costs. Verna lemons have been in the same situation, aggravated by the lengthening of the Fino lemon campaign.”
Own elaboration with FAOSTAT data of the harvested area of lemons, including limes.
“Regarding summer lemons, due to the small quantity available and the high temperatures, which have caused damage to the fruit, we have managed to keep prices at slightly better levels, both at source and in the warehouse. However, at this time, the harvest is pushing up the costs due to the low yields.”
Looking at the average lemon prices collected and shared weekly by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA), there is a clear difference between the prices this campaign and those of previous ones. In fact, they have remained below the average of the last 5 years for almost the entire campaign; a consequence of “slow consumption, with very tight prices,” said the Murcian company in a statement.
The situation is critical for producers, to the point that
some of them have chosen not to start a new Fino lemon campaign this fall; however, consumers are still buying lemons at prices quite in line with those of previous seasons, so the difference in the selling price between origin and destination in Spain has come close to 900%, as shown in reports from various agricultural organizations.
“This season, the situation hasn’t been challenging only in the fresh market,” he says. “One of the major lemon consuming sectors, which is the processing industry, has also put warehouses in a very difficult situation, since the price has basically failed to cover the logistics costs, causing significant losses. At certain times, measures have been taken to leave the fruit in the fields and prevent having to deal with those increases in transport costs. Some of the lemons orig-
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Harvested lemon and lime
Source: FAOSTAT
inally intended for the industry have ended up discarded.”
“The situation has been very different for oranges, since the lack of raw material has resulted in the industry paying good prices and there have practically been no problems to sell the fruit intended for processing.”
“We know that we have the best product, so although we must be realistic, we can also feel optimistic ahead of another campaign”
Given this situation, the sector itself, through the interprofessional organization, raised the need to try tackling the crisis by applying 12 measures to adjust the acreage and “restore the right balance between supply and demand.”
Between the 2014/15 and 2021/22 seasons, 7 million lemon trees were planted in Spain. According to FAOSTAT data, the acreage increased by 39.3% from 2014 to 2022; however, this growth coincided with even greater increases in the productions of the main competitors of
Spanish lemons in the European market, which completely reshaped the situation in the international lemon market.
In fact, according to FAOSTAT data, in 2014, the lemon acreage in Spain was greater than that of Argentina and Turkey, and these were ahead of Egypt, which in that year, albeit narrowly, even surpassed South Africa in terms of acreage.
Eight years later, in 2022, and always according to the most recent consolidated data provided by FAOSTAT, Turkey is at the top of this list, after almost doubling its acreage. Argentina ranks second after having increased its lemon acreage by more than 80%, and Spain follows. Meanwhile, South Africa, which expanded its acreage by a spectacular 159.4%, now has the fourth largest lemon growing area. Egypt has been left far behind, as despite also recording a significant increase, its growth has comparatively been more moderate.
The new Fino lemon 2024/25 season is now underway. “Despite how this year’s campaign has developed, Spain has the
great advantage of being able to supply the market with an excellent and sustainable product that offers all phytosanitary and food safety guarantees all year round,” says Cristóbal. ”We know that we have the best product, so although we must be realistic, we can also feel optimistic ahead of another campaign.”
“Given the changes we are seeing in the market in recent years, it is difficult to make an estimate for the campaign; however, we can expect the Fino lemon production not to be as great as that of the 2023/24 campaign, when we’ve had overproduction, even though it should still be acceptable and even high compared to the average. We know that fruit will necessarily also arrive from third countries, but we hope that prices will stabilize and that this new season we won’t just be covering the production and logistics costs, both at source and at the warehouse. Instead, we hope to obtain the profitability that we need to protect the future of citriculture in Spain.”
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“Now that we’ve blazed a trail, we’re ready for the next step. In the Netherlands, we started more than five years ago with the goal of making the supply chain transparent, traceable, and e icient. ‘We’re growing by double digits annually, with tremendous growth in 2023. We have now moved beyond the pioneering phase and are ready for the next step,’ begins Managing Director Michiel Bontenbal. This year, we will be attending the Fruit Attraction fair for the second time as a visitor.”
In 2018, we garnered attention with a specially developed app that gives supply chain users real-time updates about the status of their products. This way, they can precisely track whether the product has been sold, is in stock, or is on its way to customers. The costs for, say, inspection, cooling, or storage are also made clear. And you know how much a product goes for as soon as it is sold.
Real-time insight
“Such transparency was fairly unique for the fresh produce sector. For instance, our Spanish zucchini grower can see exactly what’s happening in the Netherlands. He sends part of his trade on a program basis and invoices it himself. But he always keeps extra stock to sell on the day trade. With our platform, he can see what’s going on and precisely the costs and revenues being made. He used to be at the mercy of the gods. Now he can watch in real-time.”
For our partners, like growers and customers, this means they always know where they stand. The transparency and traceability we provide give them the control and confidence to make better decisions. By working with Chainn, growers can, for example, respond better to market demand and optimize their revenues. Customers know they can always count on a fair and open partnership, where they not only receive products but also insights, knowledge, and support. This makes us not just a trading partner but an extension of their business.
“Our app, which we keep developing, has opened many doors. So, we now have a permanent programmer on sta . You can have a nice app, but what you deliver daily is your promise. The app has become more of a tool to run our business than a unique selling point. People don’t only communicate via the app. It’s primarily about the total package,” says Michiel.
Owners still responsible for purchasing
“The transparency we envision is still vital, especially from suppliers. On the customer side, there’s an increasing need for knowledge. The nice thing is that the founders and owners - Evert Jan van Vliet, Kees van den Heuvel, Leo van de Heuvel, and Pieter de Jong - are still responsible for purchasing product groups.”
“Our specialists have remained specialists. And being a greengrocer is still a craft. Owners often take up a di erent position, and know-how fades into the background. Our company owners, however, are fully involved in our commercial team and also train young talent,” Michiel explains.
“We also firmly believe in specialization with our product range. Approximately half of our product turnover consists of overseas citrus, making us perhaps the largest market player. In the winter, we focus heavily on Spanish and Moroccan vegetables. About 10% of our revenue consists of watermelons, which we don’t source from overseas.”
“The melons are becoming our true third pillar, where we stick to our focus on European produce. Supermarkets aren’t necessarily keen on suppliers who deliver the whole package. You must provide knowledge and be able to relieve the supermarket. We know everything about the products we carry, so we immediately add value for our customers. In fact, we don’t start a supply chain unless we add value,” Michiel continues.
Day trading as an extra service
“Many citrus import agreements are made on a daily or weekly basis. Vegetables have far more long-term contracts. The method doesn’t matter; we hardly trade but connect European growers and buyers, with day trading mainly being an extra service to help growers sell their entire harvest.”
Wasn’t it often a traders’ task to ‘play smart’ and thus make a few cents profit? That irks Bontenbal. “Playing smart implies growers are stupid whom you can outsmart. I don’t believe that. If you look at today’s growers, you see entrepreneurs from whom many trading companies can learn. We want open collaboration and fair trade,” he says.
Next phase
“Our platform is now entering the next phase. We’ll continue digitizing processes, freeing up our people to share knowledge and advice. From the start, we deliberately chose some countries. From this fall, we want to increasingly focus on the German market, for which we’ve put together a specific team. The processing industry is also an important branch for us.”
Are others in the market now following the Chainn business model? “Companies are cherry-picking. For example, large traders are divesting their logistics activities. Other small businesses are choosing specialization. We don’t mind; on the contrary, we hope these e icient connections become the new norm. We’re ambitious and want to impact the market. That can only happen if most of the market operates this way,” Michiel concludes.
Our people have a passion for the business. And that is something you can feel in everything we do. We know all our customers and, more importantly, they know us.
Our passion ensures that we continue to challenge ourselves and try to make our services a little better every day.
Ready for the food supply chain revolution?
the quality of passion
Costa Rica aims to add value and move beyond pineapples as mere commodity
Costa Rica’s pineapple industry hope to further capitalise on the versatility of the fruit, by expanding from offering more than just their fresh fruit exports. They want to expand to offer dried pineapples, organic fertiliser and increase the use of their fruit and by-products into medicine and cosmetics. In this way they aim to move up in the value chain from a mere commodity fruit.
The Chamber of United Pine Growers, based in Pital, San Carlos, Costa Rica, have many plans to ensure growers, exporters and their industry remain the world’s leaders in pineapple growing and innovation.
Ing. Greivin Delgado Solórzano, executive director of the Pineapple Chamber, says when they head to Fruit Attraction
in Madrid they will showcase their industry to the European region and world.
“It is also a great opportunity to interact with visitors from various sectors, both direct and indirect, of the world of fruits, especially pineapple. It is an opportunity to receive and update ourselves on trends, not only of consumers, but of all related actors, such as supermarket chains, com-
munity organizations, government, academics, suppliers, certifiers, among others. On the other hand, being present in situ allows us to answer queries and show what our associates do in their production chain, as well as the role we play as a chamber representing the entire associative group.”
The past two years were very challenging with the El Niño weather phenomenon that brought unusually dry and hot weather, followed by intense rain across Costa Rica and South America. They country’s climate is usually ideal for yearround pineapple growing. “Pineapple is a crop with a 35-month cycle. We are still in a process of stabilization. Climatic factors continue to be adverse, with two
extremes, an increase in rainfall that is highly concentrated in short periods and high solar radiation. Both factors directly affect production. Together with the Ministry of Agriculture, we are working on the construction of an adaptation plan that will help us face these climatic conditions with comprehensive practices applicable to the crop,” explains Delgado.
Costa Rica is the leading exporter of pineapples, with a total export volume reaching 2,059,352 tons. In terms of production, Costa Rica has reported an output of 2.9 million metric tons of pineapples. Growers and exporters in this country, continue to seek new markets while growing in existing markets. Their largest market is the United States, followed by the European Union, with countries in Asia and the Middle East enjoying their sweet fruit too.
He says they hope to collaborate more with the Spanish industry. “One of the objectives for this edition of Fruit Attraction is to establish these collaborations, make the necessary contacts in various areas and carry out plans that benefit both parties. In Costa Rica there are already Spanish companies with commercial areas in the agronomic and technological field. Our goal is to work on aspects related to logistics to enhance the quality of our product, improving safety, transport, storage conditions, among others, and making traceability even more robust,” states Delgado.
Jose Carlos Chaves, commercial manager at Tropicales del Valle, who are pineapple growers and exporters based in Llorente de Flores, Heredia, Costa Rica, the fair in Madrid is a “strategically important fair.”
“For us, Europe is our main target, in the same way we have operations and offices in the USA. However, the development
that we have achieved in the different countries of Europe, especially the Mediterranean, has been very positive over the years, especially with the coloured pineapple or Ready To Eat, exported by ocean and by air. Our message is that as producers we do and will continue to do our best to harvest a differentiated product, investing in technology, knowledge for our collaborators and high social and environmental responsibility. Our main focus starts with the quality.”
Carlos Chaves says they once again hope to close commercial deals while in Madrid.
“it is a strategically important fair to finish focusing on the commercial strategy for the following year, closing commercial contracts and focusing on the identification of key partners to adequately develop the different markets we cover.”
ADDED VALUE FUTURE FOR COSTA RICAN PINEAPPLES
“Our main goal is to remain the world’s number one exporter of fresh pineapple, not only in quantity, but also in quality. To this end, added value is fundamental in our growth. We seek in Costa Rica to produce other derivative products that the market can consume. Today, we have juice, frozen and dehydrated pineapple. It is possible to access many pineapple-based foods, as well as use its components, such as bromelain, in nutrition and medicine. The pineapple plant can also be used for the production of biomaterials needed in various industries, fiber for paper or fabrics.”
“At the local level, we can use the plants that have completed their production cycle to generate energy, animal feed, organic fertilizers and biomethane to replace diesel. The production of bio inputs to address phytosanitary problems is an important aspect of change. We need more tools to sustain produc-
tivity and quality; microorganisms, plant extracts and synthetics with a low chemical load, managed in an integral way, with the use of precision agriculturesensors and drones- in their application and monitoring, are part of this continuous improvement,” is the vision the pineapple industry in Cost Rica has explains Delgado.
He says even the very soil that pineapple comes from are more enriched and protected, “not only because of the organic matter provided by the pineapple crop, but also because of conservation and management practices, using technology in their preparation and planting designs, where rainwater management is essential. Mechanization and automation are paths to sustained change, and we are already making progress in that process. All these actions, plans and projects are aimed at achieving a circular economy that makes possible the environmental, social and economic sustainability of the pineapple activity in Costa Rica.”
Delgado says, in the end the platform in Madrid is to support and sustain people and the society of Costa Rica. “In addition, we can add: We want to thank the organization of Fruit Attraction for the opportunity it gives us to expose ourselves to the world of fruits and its entire value chain. We hope to achieve our goal in this edition: to establish the best commercial relations and joint actions with public and private organizations that help us sustain our industry, and above all, to maintain the large number of direct and indirect jobs that the rural areas of our country require, in integral harmony with the well-being of society.”
How the Red Sea crisis quickly changed the fate of the citrus season in Egypt
Surprise guest at the start of the campaign
The 2023-2024 Egyptian citrus season has got off to a good start, amid a positive mood and high spirits. Production is marked by a better distribution of sizes, whereas the previous season was marked by sizes that were too small. Volumes have increased, and the climatic factor is causing serious difficulties for the competition while having a positive effect in Egypt. Everything pointed to a fine season. Yet the situation changed rapidly, in the space of a few days, complicating the campaign beyond repair. War broke out in the Middle East, triggering the Red Sea crisis that dragged on throughout 2024. For the citrus industry in particular, the impact of the crisis turned the campaign “simply unprofitable,” according to the Egyptian exporter Amgad Nessem.
Amgad Nessim is the Export Manager at Al Teriak Farms, a company that produces and exports citrus and other fruits. He tells how he has experienced the season: “The outlook for the season was very promising, as we finally got rid of the problem of small sizes, which penalized us severely last season. But the atmosphere changed very quickly at the end of 2023 when the war spread in the region like a fire. What happened next is well known. In December, Maersk announced
the suspension of its Red Sea routes, followed by 13 other shipping companies. We were disarmed, waiting for a rapid resumption of shipping. But by January 2024, the industry was in panic and chaos. The closer we got to June, signaling the arrival of fruit flies and the end of exports, the more we resigned ourselves to accepting the fate of the campaign. Towards the end of the season, Egyptian oranges were exported at the same price as the local market.”
*EGYPT CUT OFF FROM HALF OF ITS GLOBAL MARKET, OVERSUPPLY IN EUROPE*
The Red Sea separates Egypt from more than half of its citrus markets, including Saudi Arabia (and by extension the Gulf markets), the third largest market for Egyptian oranges after Russia and the Netherlands, and other markets in Asia such as India, Bangladesh, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong and others. Nessem says: “In terms of volume, these markets together account for more than half of Egyptian exports, i.e. more than 800,000 tonnes for oranges alone if we take last season’s figures, bearing in mind that this season’s volumes have increased by at least 25%. The impact on exporters specializing in these markets is obvious, but the impact on the industry as a whole has spread rapidly.”
The exporter continued: ‘’It means that all exporters had to fall back on limited markets like Europe, which can’t absorb such volumes. At El Teriak Farms, we export exclusively to Europe, but we were caught up in this crisis as early as February when the drop in demand impact-
ed our programs. We’re lucky enough to work with serious, respectable customers, and export exclusively under contract, yet we have seen our prices fall and payment terms become more difficult.‘’
The shipping lines linking Egypt to Asia, via the Red Sea, have become unsafe for most shiplines and were quickly suspended from December onwards, and the alternative lines make the long detour of the continent via the Cape of Good Hope. Nessem: “In terms of transit times, this represents a two-fold increase, from an average of 28 days to more than 60 days. Transport costs have also doubled. It has to be said that shipping companies have taken full advantage of the situation. As we all know, not all shipping companies are targeted by the attacks in the Red Sea. New Asian companies replaced the traditional ones as soon as March, but they remained rare and raised their prices exaggeratedly.”
Exports to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries across the Red Sea were maintained by ferry, but their price also increased following the explosion in demand, rising from USD 2,000 to USD 6,000 according to Nessem. Although the Gulf market is attractive by absorbing large volumes, it imposes a harsh trade and payment regime on Egyptian exporters, and the Red Sea crisis has only exacerbated these conditions: exports under commission, which Europe imitated this season after the crisis broke.
*SLOW DEMAND, FALLING PRICES AND LONGER PAYMENT DELAYS*
Nessem explains: “For reasons that escape me, or let’s say for cultural reasons, Saudi importers impose a commission-based sales system on Egypt. It’s very disadvan-
tageous because it’s opaque and there’s no way of controlling the volumes sold. This system is only imposed on Egyptian exporters, unlike Poland which exports its apples to Saudi Arabia or South Africa which exports its citrus fruit under contract. We have always called on our Egyptian colleagues to begin the transition out of this grey area and to reject this method of payment, which penalizes the entire Egyptian industry and economy.”
“This season, due to the Red Sea crisis, European importers, faced with an abundant supply, very quickly realized that they could impose this method of trade on Egyptian exporters, as early as February,” adds the exporter. “In the Netherlands,
for example, I estimate that this method of payment has increased by at least 40% this season in the citrus industry. As far as we at Al Teriak are concerned, as I said, we are fortunate to work with respectable customers, but we have suffered indirectly from the effects of oversupply. Our normal payment terms went from 80%-20% to 50%-50%. Prices have fallen by 25% on average.”
*THE CRISIS WAS MITIGATED BY CIRCUMSTANTIAL
FACTORS*
Of good fortune, the Red Sea crisis coincided with other mitigating circumstances. Firstly, climate change hit Egypt’s competitors hard, particularly in Spain. Nessem says: ‘’Right from the start of the
FRUIT ATTRACTION | Hall
year, we reacted to the crisis by looking for new markets, and we were helped by the lack of supply of Navel and Valencia oranges from Spain and other competing origins. We found circumstantial demand in several parts of the world, including Canada, Argentina, and Brazil. In Europe too, we found outlets in Georgia, Latvia, and Lithuania. We received some orders from African countries as well. Let’s just say that we were only able to save the season, without making a profit, but it would have been much worse if the usual Spanish production had been there.”
The crisis has also coincided with a currency reform in Egypt. The government has implemented the liberalization of the exchange rate of the Egyptian pound against the dollar, which has led to the devaluation of the local currency. Nessem comments: “This increases our costs considerably, but it also works the other way round. Overall, it takes time to adjust to the effects of the reform, but it also brings a great deal of stability to the economy and means that we don’t have to rely on the black market for the dollar supply as we did before. March was a difficult month, but we started to feel the effects of this stability from April onwards.”
”THE RED SEA CRISIS WILL NOT BE RESOLVED EITHER POLITICALLY OR PEACEFULLY”
Many Egyptian exporters were hoping for a swift resolution to the Red Sea crisis, but it turns out that the crisis is here to stay. Nessem has no illusions: “Unfortunately, the Red Sea crisis will not be resolved either politically or peacefully. We have seen how the major world powers tried to put an end to the suspension of shipping lines, before calmly withdrawing. The Red Sea crisis is just one facet of the war looming over the Middle East, and the inevitable will eventually happen. In the worst-case scenario, this means a halt to business. In the meantime, we’re adapting and building on the strengths of the Egyptian citrus industry, in particular the climate factor, which is working in our favor.”
What to expect next season? “If we’re optimistic, the Red Sea crisis will still be with us, which means the situation hasn’t worsened,” replies Nessem soberly. “As far as citrus is concerned, we will necessarily need a decrease in Egyptian volumes, as well as a lot of work to develop new markets. There is still potential in markets that are not yet fully developed, such as the Americas, Africa, and European countries like Poland.”
amgad.nessem@elteriakfarms.com
Anne Dingstad, CEO of Saga Robotics:
“The response from growers has been very good, they are fully convinced that UV works when done right”
Norwegian company Saga Robotics’ autonomous robot Thorvald, first emerged in the robotics group at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences where the team saw the need to introduce robots into agriculture in order to solve critical issues such as labour shortages, sustainability and yield security. Thorvald was then established as a company in its own right, committed to delivering autonomous services for the soft-fruit agricultural industry, combining a robust mechanical design with intelligent autonomy.
SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION
This year has seen a significant expansion of Thorvald’s robotic services across the UK. With newly established hubs in Kent, the South and Scotland. This season the operational area has been four times larger than last season due to strategic expansion and collaboration with nine of the most innovative strawberry growers across Great Britain.
“The key function of our autonomous robot Thorvald is to treat fungal diseases like powdery mildew without the need of fungicides. This is done through a proprietary method of applying UV-C light,” explains Anne Dingstad, CEO of Saga Robotics. “Additionally, Thorvald is equipped with cameras that keep track of e.g., berry yield and ripening levels. Thorvald’s modular design means additional tools can be attached depending on the grower’s needs; either developed by Saga or by partners.”
CUSTOMISATION
Thorvald is a number of different robots rolled into one, all built using the same basic modules, and rebuilt using only basic hand tools. The modules are designed to enable high quality robots that can quickly be customised for a given application in a given environment, such as a greenhouse, tunnel, open field and vineyard.
Thorvald’s initial focus markets have been tabletop strawberries and wine grapes, but the robot’s modular design
allows it to be easily adapted to different environments, so more will be added in the future. Thorvald is commercially treating just short of 10% of UK strawberries and also having commercial traction in US vineyards. Anne said that they are very happy with its current performance and trajectory.
RESPONSE FROM GROWERS
“The response from growers has been very good, they are fully convinced that UV works when done right. All current customers are scaling their treatment areas for next year, and Thorvald is taking on quite a lot of new customers as well. One focus area going forward is to make Thorvald even easier to use for its human ‘companions’ based on the input we get from the fields. Currently Thorvald has been focused in the United States (California), and the United Kingdom. You will soon find him elsewhere as well!”
Thorvald’s autonomy allows for multiple robots to be operated by a single human compared to e.g., tractors that need one driver for every unit. Equally as import-
ant, Thorvald is reducing workers’ exposure to dangerous chemicals by replacing the need for fungicide applications. Another benefit of this is less complex operations, since UV does not require re-entry or pre-harvest intervals like fungicides do. Lastly, Thorvald’s frequent interaction with each plant allows him to do things humans cannot. One example is using his cameras to monitor clusters, berries and disease pressure directly over the entire field throughout the entire season, compared to todays’ in-accurate extrapolation methods based on humans counting a limited area.
danny.blair@sagarobotics.com
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Steven Martina, President of Zespri® Europe & North America:
“A brand is not built by simply putting a sticker on the fruit”
Zespri® presented its first full forecast for the 2024/25 season, anticipating a considerable increase in yields per hectare for all its kiwifruit categories, including green, yellow and green varieties, which are expected to reach record levels. This forecast, which is in line with those issued in June, reflects both a good start to the season and increased competition in international markets.
Producers have benefited from favourable weather conditions that have allowed them to obtain higher yields. Of the more than 197 million trays of kiwifruit forecast for this season, approximately 65 million of them will be destined for European markets, an increase of 55% over last year, which was so badly affected by the cyclone. Thus, 31.5 million boxes of Zespri Green kiwifruit, 28 million boxes of Zespri Sungold kiwifruit and 2.6 million boxes of Zespri® organic kiwifruit are expected to be sold in Europe.
The New Zealand campaign is already in its final phase to give way to the European harvest in weeks 43 and 44, with Italy leading production, followed by France and Greece, “with good volume forecasts”, according to Steven Martina, President of Zespri® in Europe.
SPAIN REPRESENTS A QUARTER OF THE EUROPEAN MARKET FOR ZESPRI®
“Spain is still our largest market in Europe, representing 25% of total kiwifruit sales on the continent,” says Steven Marti-
na. “We have a leading position in terms of fruit consumption in Spain, thanks to the development of strong marketing campaigns over the last decades to build a solid brand.” And, according to Martina, “a brand is not created simply by putting a sticker on the fruit, it takes years of investment and continuity in quality to meet consumer expectations.”
Thus, Zespri® is the most recognized brand in the fruit sections of supermarkets and grocery stores in Spain according to Kantar. “We are really strong in green kiwifruit, but in recent years Zespri Sungold kiwifruit has gained a lot of presence,” Martina points out.
France, with 21% share in Europe, and Germany, with 19%, are also well represented. “We are making efforts to enhance the brand and create new opportunities in Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Portugal. In the last two years, we have seen a considerable increase in sales in the Swiss market, where consumers increasingly like the product and the brand. In the United Kingdom, we have entered into a partnership with Tesco. While it has not been easy to emerge in a market dominated by private labels, we have managed to get Tesco to highlight the Zespri® brand, which is yielding successful results in kiwifruit sales, with significant growth for Sungold,” says Steven Martina.
“NOW
PEOPLE ARE PAYING MORE ATTENTION TO PRICE, BUT THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING FOR VALUE”
“Basically, the kiwifruit market continues to grow and reach new consumers every year as sales prove that there is strong demand. We already saw an increase in demand for kiwifruit after the outbreak of the pandemic. In the last two years we have sold less than planned due to the impact of adverse weather on harvests. With inflation and its impact on the economy, consumption of fresh produce has slowed overall, but we find that consumers are still willing to invest in our kiwifruit. It is true that people are paying more attention to the price of what they buy, but at the same time consumers are increasingly willing to invest in their
wellbeing with brands they trust and perceive as delivering value, which is what our kiwifruit offers”, stresses Zespri’s president in Europe.
According to Martina, it is important to highlight the massive boom in yellow Zespri Sungold kiwifruit, which has managed, above all, to attract new consumers due to its smooth texture and sweet flavour, which also has fewer allergens than green kiwifruit.
“We are continually developing new varieties that are resistant to the changes in the climate in recent years, such as drought, hotter weather, etc. Our goal, after all, is to be able to continue offering a premium product, while at the same time looking to expand into new growing areas in the northern hemisphere. We are constantly looking for partners with whom we can grow and improve our kiwifruit production.”
“ZESPRI® KIWIFRUIT TO PROMOTE HEALTHY CONSUMPTION HABITS, BENEFITING THE ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITIES”
To maintain and increase demand in key markets, Zespri® has implemented marketing strategies such as campaigns star-
ring the Kiwi Brothers to encourage healthy habits. In addition, the company has reaffirmed the importance of its global supply strategy (ZGS), working with growers in Italy, France, Japan, South Korea and Greece to ensure a continuous supply of kiwifruit throughout the year to complement the New Zealand season.
“We strongly believe that we can lead the change by showing that there are products like kiwifruit that are not only delicious and healthy, but also sustainably produced. We want people to associate our product with wellness and responsibility when they see our brand,” says Steven Martina. “With our Kiwi Brothers we are working and putting emphasis on inspiring and motivating people to choose healthy consumption habits. People want to eat better, live better, which is difficult to do on a day-to-day basis given the pace of life we lead. Our great ambition is to make a positive impact on society and the communities in which we operate, while protecting and supporting the environment.”
“We have many challenges ahead of us, aiming to always offer a premium and quality product to consumers, trying to grow demand over supply.
We will try to be present in more homes in the coming years. I see a bright future for Zespri®, but it will mean continuing to work hard,” concludes Zespri’s President in Europe.
Visit the REO Veiling at Fruit Attraction
Be sure to visit the REO Veiling at our exhibition stand in hall 6, stand 6D14 at Fruit Attraction Our representatives are eager to provide you with detailed information about our cooperative and answer all your questions.
Why visit us?
REO Veiling is a cooperative growers’ association with 750 active growers who comply with GlobalG.A.P. and the current food safety systems in Europe. Together, they grow 220 million kg of fruit and vegetables for the fresh market every year. The REO Veiling controls the supplied quality products and commercialises them through various sales systems and an optimal service. Belgian controlled fruit and vegetables linked to controlled cultivation have a name: Flandria, Tomabel or Fine Fleur. The REO Veiling markets its 75 varieties of fruit and vegetables under these three quality labels quickly and efficiently. This means that the auctioned fruit and vegetables can be in the shops just one day after harvesting.
Extensive services
The REO Veiling sells its fresh fruit and vegetables in sustainable standard packaging, but also, if the buyer so wishes, in special one-off and small packaging. The REO Veiling also offers technical and logistical support to its buyers. Vacuum cooling guarantees longer shelf life of the leafy crops, and refrigerated overnight quays ensure a 24-hour service
for loading the auctioned products. Thanks to its extensive services and the flexibility of its growers, the REO Veiling provides a solid response to specific market demands of its buyers. In this way, the REO Veiling works every day as a reliable trading partner to build a solid, long-term relationship with its buyers.
Wide product range
The REO Veiling offers a wide range of greenhouse vegetables and a broad selection of open-air vegetables, from conventional to organic, from classic varieties to culinary specialities, from forgotten vegetables to innovative varieties, all grown in accordance with the strictest standards for safe and healthy food. This wide variety ensures a even spread of the product range throughout the year, making it possible to buy high-quality fruit and vegetables in attractive volumes at the REO Veiling. The geo-central location of the REO Veiling close to urban areas in Europe shortens time and kilometres during distribution, which benefits the preservation of the REO products.
Ecuador’s banana industry fights enemy nr1 –Organised Crime
The scourge of organised crime by way of the drug trade has plagued and hindered Ecuador’s fresh produce exports, especially their world leading banana industry over the past few years. Several states of emergencies earlier in 2024 by the newly elected President Daniel Naboa, who hails from the banana industry, has now seen the government confront crime head on. The immediate reaction was ugly, but citizens and the vast banana industry say they simply have to push through to see law and order restored. The rampant crime and corruption with many drug filled shipments, called contaminated shipments, and interceptions at key world ports has threatened Ecuador’s reputation as the world’s leading banana supplier.
Besides this Ecuador’s banana industry also had to fight on other fronts – the weather challenges as well as keeping banana diseases at bay. The budget allocated to reduce the risk of banana shipment contamination is growing every year at $100 million according to Ecua-
dor’s banana industry associations. This is spent annually on security cameras, satellite locks, anti-drug inspections at origin and destination, fees for scanning services at ports, information security and, most importantly, their personal security. And even despite all these
investments and vigilance, no one is free from being contaminated industry insiders say.
As the Ecuadorian banana industry focuses on Fruit Attraction in Madrid, Jorge Alex Serrano, from Jasafrut based in El Guabo, El Oro in Ecuador, concurs that the drug trade and crime is a widespread issue in Latin America that is not unique to Ecuador. “About the criminal issues in Ecuador, this is a problem of Latin America now, not only Ecuador. We feel it more because before this our country was a peaceful island, but this changed very fast to the worse. The new president has been making a lot of effort to attack this problem, but the drug trade is an international organization, which has a lot of money that demands support and collaboration with all the countries. Jasafrut has been investing in our teams working with better procedures in control
and also in technology in order to prevent the contamination of our loads, even though this problem will never end until the consumption of drugs in our destination countries reduce. The big challenge is that this problem in Europe and the USA is increasing. Lately, we have had collaborations from the EU only on the security topic, but finally it isn’t enough because the drug market is too big there. We expect this situation to get better, but it is very hard due to the reason I have explained.”
EXPENSIVE COMPLIANCE BURDEN
Serrano highlights another factor that is important for Ecuador’s banana industry, namely the many compliance requirements that are becoming onerous. “We would like to grow more in EU markets, but it has been very hard because the compliance requirements are higher every time, which increases the cost of production and they aren’t taking our real process into account. We under-
stand that the objective is good, but we can’t pretend that the growers invest in research and development of new products and technologies to just suddenly replace our practices done for years. This must be talked about together.”
Daniela Palacios, CEO of the Export Division of Palmar from the Palmar Group, one of Ecuador’s large banana growers and producers as well as a provider of packaging, says they have many challenges as a sector. She says keeping up with the many different regulations and certifications is very demanding on companies and their staff. “Keeping up to date with changes in the regulations of the different certifications and apply them at the pace expected is a challenge. With all the requirements to meet, internal and external audits to attend to and pass; to manage them the producer needs a team. And there are challenges because a producer doesn’t necessarily have staff just for CSR, or just for certifications and so
on. It’s usually the farm secretary or the accountant or the human resources person of the company that handles these requirements. But, with the updates and expectations that are out there, the producer needs to think about additional staff.”
HIGHER DISEASE RISK
The recent disease risk is another factor that Ecuador’s banana industry has to be extra vigilant on states Palacios. “We have to invest in biosecurity measures to prevent Fusarium Raza 4 or Moco from reaching our farms. I don’t think the work involved is often valued. We are talking about many hectares. We have to fence them, control that people do not enter the farms, and maintain clean tools that are used, control the entry and exit of vehicles and so on. There is administrative work, additional human capital and resources involved. We are exposed to drug contamination too.”
“We have to maintain the desired quality even when we experience drastic weather changes. We are exposed to high temperatures, strong radiation, rain and so on. We must generate awareness of higher levels of tolerance for external factors,” states Palacios.
Serrano warns as an industry they must act with seriousness to limit the damage. “There are some areas lost in the fields of Ecuador and its increasing. This will reduce the volumes available for the future if we don’t act as soon as we should.”
BANANAS TOO CHEAP
Serrano also highlights and bemoans the fact that bananas have become the cheapest fruit in the basket. “The other problem from the wholesalers is that they are demanding many certifications and this is increasing their cost of audits every
Your personal partner, locally situated in Spain, to get you fully transparent and discrete to the correct suppliers.
year and also, their compliance points are repetitive and make no sense. We have been talking about it with no answer. A curious situation that we have been facing is that the prices of the retailers have been pointing to lower levels and they demand more, even when they ask for more investments, which makes no sense. Bananas are now the cheapest fruit in the world and we can’t reduce the price further,” warns Serrano.
Despite all these challenges, Palmar pursues clear objectives states Palacios. “We are clear that our objective is to generate employment and have a positive impact on our community. And we are
convinced that we cannot achieve this alone. One man does not make a company. It is made by a group of people. Therefore, the well-being of our workers is important. And, likewise, the participation of the family in the company is key at Palmar. All our subsidiaries are led by a family member, which is a strength. Our suppliers, customers and other interested parties speak directly with the decision-makers who are the owners.”
Europe remains a key market for Jasafrut and the Ecuadorian banana industry. The show in Madrid continues to offer them a valuable platform to reach the key market participants states Ser-
Fine Fruit & Vegetables from Belgium
rano. “Fruit Attraction is very important to us, because it comes together with all the buyers and providers of the industry of the Americas and Europe. And also because October is a good time to talk about next year’s agreements. Europe is one of our biggest markets and we have evolved in our process according to their demands in all ways possible – quality, compliance demands in social and nature issues and we expect more collaborations together.”
In the dynamic and competitive global avocado market, Colombia has established itself as a key player (it is currently the world’s third largest exporter), with Cartama at the forefront. Based in Antioquia, this company has shown a remarkable capacity to adapt and grow, despite the challenges inherent in agriculture and international trade. A recent interview with Ricardo Uribe, CEO of Cartama, along with some market data and an industry analysis, paint a comprehensive picture of the current position of this leading company, as well as its future projections.
SUSTAINED GROWTH AND GOOD PROSPECTS
By June 2024, Cartama had managed to export 682 containers of avocados, which represents 24% of Colombia’s total avocado exports. This figure shows not just the importance of Cartama on a national level, but also underlines the sector’s growth potential. Despite exports dropping by 5% in May, Uribe remains confident about achieving 16% growth by the end of 2024, with Colombia exporting approximately 150,000 tons.
This optimism is based on a promising main crop, whose campaign will start in August and last until March of the following year, with volumes reaching significant levels in November and December. Colombia enjoys a significant competitive advantage thanks to its geographic location, which makes it possible to have two annual harvests: a main harvest and a secondary one, locally known as “flor loca”, which ensures a constant supply of avocados during the 52 weeks of the year.
Climate change and variations in the global supply have brought some challenges. During the secondary season, the distribution of sizes was affected by the impact of the El Niño phenomenon. This resulted in a greater availability of small sizes, which had an impact on producer returns. Not only Colombia, but the majority of producing countries were affected by this, which caused some oversupply of these sizes and a drop in their prices in the European market.
At present, Colombia is wrapping up its secondary season; volumes are decreasing week by week, and exports are expected to reactivate around week 40, when the main season, which lasts until March, will start.
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Colombia’s strategic location gives it easy access to both the European and U.S. markets, which reduces transit times and results in superior product freshness. According to Uribe, shipments from Colombia to the UK take only 11 days, compared to the more than 20 days needed by Peru or Chile. Moreover, Colombia does not face significant risks related to water availability, which is a growing problem for other avocado producers.
Another crucial advantage is Cartama’s commitment to sustainability and quality. The company works closely with Corpohass, the association representing Colombian producers and exporters, and promotes sustainable agricultural practices. It has obtained certifications such as Rainforest Alliance, which are increasingly valued in the international market.
EXPORT PROJECTIONS AND MARKET EXPANSION
Cartama has ambitious growth plans. By the end of 2024, the company aims to export 1,525 containers, with the target to reach 4,000 containers by 2028. This growth will be achieved not only with its own production, but also with that from a group of associated producers, expanding its presence to 62 municipalities in eight Colombian departments.
Cartama’s main market is Europe, which accounts for 60% to 70% of its exports, followed by the United States, with 30% to 40%. This focus on developed markets requires compliance with strict regulations and certifications, a challenge that
Cartama has been able to handle effectively.
Colombia is investing heavily in product quality, improving its post-harvest practices and precooling technology, as well as its storage and packaging facilities. Cartama is building a new packing plant to increase its capacity from 300 to 800 tons per day, which is expected to become operational by October 2025.
Cartama’s CEO also mentions the importance of having import offices in Europe. “This allows us to have direct contact with end customers and the flexibility to ripen, repack and distribute smaller quantities more efficiently,” he says. It facilitates making quick changes to adapt to market needs and ensures that the fruit arrives in optimal condition.
INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY
In terms of innovation, Cartama has achieved significant advances in avocado genetics, working with clonal trees that are better adapted to Colombia’s weather and soil conditions. This initiative is not only resulting in better fruit quality, but
is also helping optimize yields, a key factor in meeting growing global demand.
“The fruit’s certifications will play a key role in achieving good returns in the European market, especially social certifications such as Rain Forest Alliance (RFA),” which promote not only environmental, but also economic and social sustainability, which is very much aligned with Cartama’s philosophy. Uribe highlights that around 30% of Cartama’s acreage is devoted to the protection of the natural forest. “This is not just beneficial for the environment, but also strengthens our position in markets that value environmental responsibility,” he says.
With a strategic focus and commitment to quality and sustainability, Cartama is well positioned to continue growing and consolidating its position as a global leader in avocado exports.
ricardouribe@cartama.com
The
“Groupage specialist for Germany”
Jardín Exotics: Leading exporter of Colombian avocados to Europe
Colombia has positioned itself as the third largest Hass avocado producer in the world, with a significant impact on non-traditional agricultural exports. In 2021, the value of avocado exports reached US$ 203.7 million, with prospects of a 25% increase in the revenue next year. The list of main export destinations includes the Netherlands, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain and Belgium, which shows the global acceptance and demand for this Colombian superfood.
Located in the picturesque municipality of Jardín, Antioquia, Jardín Exotics has emerged as a leader in the production and export of avocados, especially Hass avocados. Founded in 2014 in Southwestern Antioquia, Jardín Exotics was born
from the passion of a group of agricultural producers committed to innovation and the growth of Colombian agriculture. “We started with a 700 m² plant and today we have more than 5,000 m² of infrastructure and more than 1,000 hectares
devoted to avocado cultivation,” says General Manager Carlos Londoño. This growth has been possible thanks to the implementation of innovative ideas and sustainable production practices. The firm has obtained several international certifications that have given it access to the most demanding markets.
The company has established itself as a leader in the export of Hass avocados thanks to its collaboration with Quality Produce International (QPI) BV, of the Netherlands. This growth has been possible thanks to state-of-the-art packing infrastructure, which has been expanded several times to meet the growing demand. “This collaboration has allowed us to expand our presence on the continent and strengthen our position in the international market,” says Londoño.
EXPORT MARKETS AND STRATEGIES
Jardín Exotics has achieved a strong position in Europe, which accounts for 60% of its exports, and in the United States, which accounts for the remainder. In 2024, the company expects to export 12 million kilos of Hass avocados, exceeding initial projections by 20%. “Europe and the United States are our main destinations due to their high demand and quality standards, which we fully meet,” says Londoño. This success is due in large part to the company’s focus on quality and its ability to supply the market almost all
year round thanks to production peaks in January, February, May, June, September and November.
Jardin Exotics has participated in events such as Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Fruit Atraction in Madrid, The Global Produce & Floral Show in the US and Territorio Aguacate in Medellin to promote its products and connect with other industry players. These events provide a platform to discuss trends in the fields of sustainability, productivity and marketing. They also make it possible to strengthen the business network around Hass avocados.
Jardín Exotics ensures that its suppliers meet sustainability and quality standards through a rigorous process of technical and commercial support. “We evaluate the quality of the avocados from the field until the moment they are exported, carrying out different types of quality and integrity controls throughout the production and marketing process,” says Londoño. This close link with suppliers ensures that Jardín Exotics products always deliver the excellence that characterizes them.
COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is fundamental for Jardín Exotics. The company’s approach in this area is based on its 3D Philosophy, which is a three-dimensional approach: economic, environmental and social. In economic terms, it manages its process-
es pursuing the efficient management of resources and costs; in social terms, it works actively in the creation of decent and fair employment. Its workforce is made up mostly of mothers who are heads of households, various ethnic groups and people with disabilities, with more than 300 direct jobs being offered.
In the social sphere, the company also makes relevant contributions to the community. For instance, it collaborates with the San Luis Corporation in Jardín, Antioquia, which provides support and welfare to more than 270 children in urban and rural areas, who have access to snacks, multimedia libraries and mobile ICT rooms. They also work hard to provide opportunities to young people in the community.
Also, collaboration with Europe’s leading retailer and Gulupa’s Fairtrade trade program have allowed the creation of the Agrojar Workers Corporation (Corpoagrojar), which has provided resources for various educational and housing projects for its employees. Thus, more than 500,000 USD have been invested in social programs and in generating welfare.
The company is also strongly committed to the welfare of its employees and the community. Jardín Exotics has implemented comprehensive training programs addressing key topics, from emotional intelligence to quality and safety in the production plant. Moreover, thanks to the Fairtrade certification and the sale of gulupa, they have developed home improvement and purchase programs, educational scholarships and assistance for medical procedures for their employees and their families.
In the environmental sphere, Jardín Exotics implements sustainable production practices, such as the use of solar panels that generate 30% of its electricity; additionally, the remaining energy used to power the processes is sustainably generated. Also, its efficient water management program has led to a 45% reduction in the number of liters of water per
kilo processed, making good use of the abundant rainfall in Antioquia, a fertile and ideal region for agriculture. This sustainable approach ensures that the company’s operations are truly beneficial to both the environment and the local economy.
The company is certified by Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade, Smeta, IFS Foods, GlobalG.A.P and Grasp, which confirms their environmentally and socially friendly approach and their capacity to meet the technical requirements of different markets. They are also contributing to the protection of the Yellow-eared Parrot through the ProAves Foundation, which highlights their commitment to biodiversity and the environment.
In addition to the certifications that our company currently has, we are honored to have been recognized on several occa-
sions by the Caja de Compensación Comfenalco Antioquia for the inclusion and prioritization of diverse populations, such as mothers who are heads of households, young people or people with disabilities, among others, in our team. Moreover, we have been awarded with the Sustainable Footprint distinction by the Corporación Autónoma Regional de Antioquia (Corantioquia) for our commitment to sustainability.
MARKET CHALLENGES AND OUTLOOK
There are significant challenges in the avocado market, such as the supply growing faster than the demand, or the socio-political conditions affecting the global economy. “The avocado supply has been growing at a faster rate than the demand and that is forcing us to be highly competitive and sustainable,” says Londoño. Weather conditions also play a crucial role. The El Niño phenomenon has had an impact on the production, but has also resulted in a season with high quality fruit.
The future of Jardín Exotics is promising. The company continues to innovate and adapt to the demands of the international market, with a clear focus on sustainability
and quality. The demand for avocados continues to grow in Europe and Jardin Exotics is well positioned to meet this demand with high quality products and sustainable practices. Although they do not currently export to Asia, the company is evaluating the conditions to potentially expand into this market in the future.
Jardin Exotics has also established strategic alliances with organizations devoted to preservation and education, strengthening its positive impact on the community and the environment. These alliances not only benefit the company, but also contribute to the sustainable development of the region.
With a decade of experience, a strong focus on sustainability, and a commitment to quality and innovation, Jardin Exotics has established itself as a leading Hass avocado exporter. The company is not only contributing to the local and national economy, but is also playing a crucial role in promoting responsible and sustainable agricultural practices globally.
clondono@jardinexotics.com
Making an impact with potatoes from seeds
“We’re considering where in the world we can make an impact,” begins Solynta CEO Peter Poortinga, explaining the first commercial potatoes-from-seed’s entrance into the market. “We’re looking at areas that lack clean seed potatoes to market the first varieties. We’re targeting regions like Central Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.”
Solynta has been developing a potato hybrid for almost 20 years by breeding new potato varieties based on potato seeds. “Unlike, say, tomatoes, that’s never succeeded with potatoes. There are two worlds: above ground, in the world of horticultural seeds, and below, in agriculture, with our tubers,” says Peter.
A PLACE OF ITS OWN
This Dutch company commercially introduced the first of these varieties last year. “After 18 years of development, initial marketing is the most difficult phase. We’re incredibly proud that we could enter the market for the first time. We hope to carve our place in the big world of potato cultivation, which totals about 18 to 19 million hectares worldwide.”
Solynta’s primary focus is the ware potato market. “Those make up about 80% of the global potato acreage. That’s where our varieties will be best suited in the coming years, and that’s where we can make an early impact,” Peter explains.
THE GOAL: FOUR RESISTANT GENES
“Seeds are, essentially, disease-free and prevent dragging soil with tubers containing soil-borne illnesses like nematodes, bacteria, and fungi to other plots and areas.” Resistance is an area where an impact can be made, says Peter: “The varieties we’ve marketed have two Phytophtora-resistant genes.”
“We have potatoes with three resistant genes in field trials, and next year, we hope to test varieties that have four. We’ll do very well against Phytophthora. In Ire-
land, we tested against Irish varieties on an unsprayed field, and our variety held up excellently despite the massive Phytophthora pressure. The Irish varieties struggled,” Poortinga says.
He points to how much faster hybrid breeding is than the classic method as being an advantage. Genetically superior varieties can be developed and introduced in a shorter time. “If you start, as in classical breeding, with one potato plant, the following year you have about ten tubers and the next, ten plants times ten tubers. With hybrid potato breeding, you soon have 2,500 seeds from one potato plant.”
Peter Poortinga, CEO of Solynta
“And the following year, 2,500 x 2,500 seeds. So, the pace of breeding and bringing new varieties to market is much faster. That’s characteristic of hybrid breeding: you can add new, improved varieties every year,” Peter states. That is unlike current breeding methods. “It will be tough within classical breeding with tetraploids to obtain really robust varieties any time soon. That will take an incredibly long time.”
ROBUST VARIETIES NEEDED
That, while robust varieties are very much needed, Peter admits. “The EU’s Green Deal wants far less use of plant protection products and more organic cultivation. But the combination of more rain, high humidity, and less crop protection doesn’t work unless you have more resistant varieties,” he explains.
Peter adds that climate change is affecting not only potato crops but also seed potato production. “Seed potato production was low in 2023 because of bad weather, and high prices are paid for french fry and potato chip potatoes. That leads to competition in the field.” He says that is one
of the reasons why seed potato acreage is declining in the Netherlands.
LESS LAND FOR PROPAGATION
That aspect brings hybrid potatoes from seed into view; you need less land to propagate them than traditional seed potatoes. Peter also sees potato seeds as offering marketing stability. “You can easily store seeds for up to four years. Because
you can supply seed from stock, stability enters the picture. Seed harvests being lower one year have a decreased impact, so the weather will have less effect globally. That will be a vital aspect,” the CEO says.
The commercial introduction of the first varieties by no means heralds an end to the development process. “All the focus
Solynta has succeeded in developing a hybrid potato by breeding varieties from seed
on R&D has now shifted to sales. But agronomy is our third leg and will receive plenty of attention within Solynta in the coming years.”
SIMILAR YIELDS
In that, the company considers things like yield/hectare. “We have trial fields around the world to see how many seeds per hectare we need to achieve at least equivalent yields as with classical seed potato-based cultivation under various conditions. That pursuit will get a lot of attention in the next while,” Peter reckons.
He also notes that potato seed breeding remains a work in progress. “It’s still going to be a long journey. We’re always searching for better, more robust, tastier products or higher yields. That story never ends.” However, Solynta does see the efforts bringing hopeful prospects. “Eventually - not in five or ten yearspotato cultivation should be entirely from seed,” Peter concludes.
Iceberg lettuce: the importance of diversifying production areas by geographical location
Over the last 15 years, iceberg lettuce has become an increasingly global consumer reference. Its commercial success and worldwide distribution (albeit with different varieties) are due to a number of factors that can be summarised in the intrinsic characteristics of the product: medium to high overall quality, shelf -life and product retention. In addition, there are technical aspects of production that also work in favour of iceberg lettuce, as it is an outdoor product that is easy to grow, provided that the climatic and water conditions of the soils in which it is grown are suitable.
In Europe, the main producers of iceberg lettuce are Spain, the Netherlands and Germany, but there are also growing areas in Poland, Sweden and Italy.
The production and commercial aspects of this type of lettuce are provided by ILFRES and ILFRES España, companies specialised in the import of fruit and veg-
etable products and considered to be major players in the production and sale of iceberg lettuce in Europe.
“Both in the fresh market and in the freshcut version,” explains Raffaele Lasciarrea, commercial director of the Apulian group, “iceberg lettuce has become the workhorse of European retail in recent years, thanks to its consolidated sales performance. It is often included in promotional leaflets, but there is a risk of pressure on the highly specialised supply chain. The large iceberg growers depend mainly on this crop, which, as an open-field production, is subject to the weather conditions
Iceberg lettuce
of an increasingly unstable and unpredictable climate.”
ILFRES has been working closely with the production department for many years.
“Together with our master growers, we follow the entire production and marketing process throughout Europe, so that the benefits of a short supply chain can preserve all the quality characteristics of the branded product. The crop planning phase before the start of the campaign is therefore necessary and crucial to achieving a rewarding year for all stakeholders. We bring together both buyers and growers to work out strategies, expected volumes and production costs, based on the final balance sheet of the previous season, which we develop together, but also on the contingent moment.”
The company’s collaborations are based on seasonality. Combined with the iceberg lettuce plants in the hilly areas of Spain, where the climate is milder, Dutch production can guarantee lettuce from May to the end of October, continuing the Spanish production and thus covering 12 months of the year. Geographical diversi-
fication is important to mitigate adverse weather conditions.
For example, during the long winter campaign when we market Spanish product,
our partner growers are located in locations up to 200/300 km away from each other. This is to avoid the risk of temporary crop failures due to adverse weather conditions, which are increasingly com-
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Iceberg lettuce
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mon in the south of Spain. We are not only worried about rain bombs and flooded fields, but also prolonged droughts, which result in a product without weight or volume,” says Lasciarrea.
In order to be marketed, iceberg lettuce must meet certain quality requirements. If the crop does not meet all the quality requirements but is still saleable, it is marketed under other brand names.
The main problem, however, is the cost of production, which, according to Lasciarrea, has risen sharply in recent years and
loss accounts. “The market is constantly asking for lower prices without sacrificing quality. The supply chain, on the other hand, needs adequate remuneration throughout the campaign. We want to promote dialogue between the parties by involving customers and buyers in open field days on farms, with visits aimed at appreciating the work carried out at all stages and making operators aware of the critical factors affecting this crop. We are convinced that this direct confrontation will bring mutual benefits and constructive points. This is also the reason why we set up real joint ventures with
VAN DEN BOSCH
customer-supplier relationship and pooling their mutual experience and resources to achieve satisfactory results.”
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Thomas Grundhöfer, citrus importer and rights holder of the fruit brand Götterfrucht:
“After a few weaker years, the orange recorded slight growth again last season”
Following the brand relaunch in 2023, the product variety of the fruit brand Götterfrucht, which is well established in Germany, was expanded this year to include three new items. Italian watermelons, Spanish stone fruit and Peruvian organic physalis are now also traded under the premium label of the Frankfurt-based wholesaler Grundhöfer, which was originally created as a citrus brand. However, the brand’s core values remain unchanged, because even after many decades, the name Götterfrucht stands for high-quality fruit products from selected producers, assures Thomas Grundhöfer, brand owner and managing director of the company of the same name.
The entire stone fruit range of Spanish origin was offered under the Götterfrucht brand for the first time this year. When it comes to premium stone fruit, France has always set the tone, at least on the German market, explains Grundhöfer. This has completely changed since 2016: French stone fruits - with the exception of apricots - now only have a complementary character, while Spain is tending to gain in importance. According to Grundhöfer, this is also due to the fact that nectarines, peaches and the like are now almost on a par with their French counterparts in terms of quality.
Shortly before the end of the season, the team at Grundhöfer GmbH can look back on a successful marketing season. “I would classify this year’s season as moderate in every respect,” says the CEO. “At the beginning of the season, there was a bit too much produce here and there, but from the end of July, apricots in particular were in high demand. Otherwise, there were always sufficient quantities throughout the season, so we were able to meet the demand from our food retail customers without any problems.”
ORGANIC PHYSALIS FOR ONLINE RETAIL
Another new product in the Götterfrucht brand range is organic physalis, which is sourced from Peru all year round. Grundhöfer: “We supply this product exclusively to an online supermarket and have therefore been able to tap into a new market. So far, the product has enjoyed consistently high and stable demand.” The third and final new product is seedless watermelons from southern Italy. “We are dedicated to the procurement and distribution of an exclusive variety that is only available for a short time, from mid-July to the end of August.”
Last year, the Götterfrucht portfolio was already expanded to include Italian grapes. In line with the brand philosophy, only fruit from selected producer partners is offered here, too. “The focus is on the better varieties such as Italia grapes. Depending on the weather, we offer our
Götterfrucht is one of the most popular fruit brands in Germany, particularly in the citrus segment
grapes from August to October,” says Grundhöfer.
ORANGES REGAIN MARKET SHARE
Despite the aforementioned expansion of the product range, citrus fruits, above all oranges and clementines, are still the
main product of the Götterfrucht brand. At peak times, up to 180 tons of citrus fruit per week are likely to leave the modern Grundhöfer GmbH location at the main entrance to the Frischezentrum Frankfurt. Due to the persistent heat in large parts of Spain, lower supply vol-
umes cannot be ruled out at the start of the season from October, says Grundhöfer. “Nevertheless, we have a broad producer base and cooperate with producers from Seville up to the Barcelona area. Experience has shown that a lot can still change in the remaining weeks until the start of the harvest, which is why we are currently unable and unwilling to make any precise volume forecasts.”
Instead, Grundhöfer prefers to recall the successful marketing year 2023/24, in which there was a slight increase in the citrus category. “In previous years, the demand for clementines increased from year to year, while the demand for oranges tended to stagnate. This is now apparently changing again, with oranges once again recording slight growth in the past season. Frankly, we can’t really explain why. After all, consumers’ taste preferences are always changing.”
VOLUME GROWTH EXPECTED FOR ORRI CLEMENTINES
The arrival of the first early Spanish clementines from October usually marks the start of the new citrus season in the
There is a touch of divinity in every fruit. Capture the essence of nature and experience your daily moment of pleasure with the unique taste of Götterfrucht. Heavenly delight - the original
Stone fruit and organic physalis
northern hemisphere, followed a few weeks later by the first Navelina table oranges. Later in the season, the different orange varieties Navel, Lane Late and Navel Powel (in that order) succeed each other. In March-April, the supply of Spanish oranges gradually comes to an end, with Spanish citrus producers tending to extend the marketing window for their oranges. Outside of the Spanish season, or from May to October, South African summer oranges are packaged and traded under the Götterfrucht brand.
In contrast to oranges, Grundhöfer continues, there are always shifts at variety level in the clementine category. “The easy-to-peel Marisol has now almost completely disappeared from the market in favor of the Oronules, which has also established itself strongly in the German-speaking region since its market launch a few years ago. The new variety Mioro is now also available between the early clementines and the main variety Clemenules. In the later segment, the Nadorcott variety has now become the standard. Tango and Orri round off the range accordingly in February and March. It can also be assumed that the Spanish cultivation volume of Orri clementines will rise sharply in the coming years, which is due to the increased number of new plantings. These plants will now gradually reach full yield.” Other varieties such as Ortanique and Spanish Satsumas are somewhat unsuitable for the German market.
grown up with Götterfrucht, so the brand is deeply rooted in society.”
Nevertheless, the tried-and-tested brand underwent a relaunch last year. “It was important to us to change the logo and lettering only slightly so that the brand identity would still be recognizable to everyone. We have succeeded in doing this, as we can see from the consistently positive feedback we have received so far,” says Grundhöfer. However, nothing stands still and further optimizations are
GENERATIONAL BRAND SUCCESS
The Götterfrucht brand, which has been owned by Grundhöfer GmbH in Frankfurt since the end of 2022, is considered the premium citrus brand par excellence not only in southern Germany, but also throughout Germany and parts of the neighboring countries Switzerland and Austria. The product is permanently listed in leading food retail chains and can also be found in numerous wholesale markets in the German-speaking region. Grundhöfer: “Götterfrucht is also achieving pleasing growth in neighboring countries, both in food retail and wholesale markets. What helps us here is that the brand is passed on from generation to generation. In southern Germany in particular, almost every consumer has
already being planned. “In terms of marketing, we only want to take targeted, well thought-out measures, and we are not afraid of modern platforms and social media. We are also working on packaging, where we are seeing a shift towards smaller packaging for clementines, for example, which we must and want to address.”
info@grundhoefer-frankfurt.de
Italian grapes and premium watermelons
In addition to oranges and clementines, Spanish Verna lemons and Italian blood oranges are also marketed seasonally in the tried-and-tested Götterfrucht cartons
South Africa’s citrus at the mercy of weather
The 2024 citrus season has borne the brunt of climatic factors, first working silently on the development of the crop and then, in the first week of July, wreaking havoc across the country in the form of yet another deluge of rain over the Western Cape and unprecedented cold temperatures in the north.
“Many believe that the impact of El Niño was actually greater than had been anticipated, heat waves and lack of rain at critical times meant less fruit development, while some regions had strong winds during blossom impacting the crop. This means that the usual situation where less fruit means bigger fruit
was not the case in 2024,” notes the CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association, Justin Chadwick.
The export estimates to all citrus categories were repeatedly adjusted downwards as smaller fruit means fewer cartons can be filled. Initially the citrus
industry had expected a bumper crop, but when recent setbacks are factored in, they’ll consider themselves lucky to equal last year’s export total of 165 million 15kg cartons.
“TERRIBLE TERRIBLE SEASON”
In June an Eastern Cape grower-exporter called it “a terrible terrible season so far – the quality is awful: I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this in my fifteen years in the industry. It’s not that the farmers did anything wrong. The origin of the problem is physiological and the symptoms are poor colour and poor size. Everything comes back to the climate and there’s nothing anyone could do about it.”
Acids were very low in citrus orchards in the north and in the Eastern Cape and some growers had applied for export dispensation on late mandarins which was not granted as the acid levels were just too low which affects shelf life and eating quality. By contrast, in the Mpumalanga Lowveld there are growers who report that their late mandarins have the best internal quality they’ve had in years.
Navel creasing reared its head again this season, particularly in the Eastern Cape.
At the time the Western Cape fruit were described as perfect, with none of the
colouring and acid problems experienced in the Eastern Cape or in the north, but that has all changed with the succession of severe cold fronts that made landfall over the Western Cape in the first week of July and led to the closure of the Port of Cape Town being closed for several days, delaying shipments to Europe and Russia.
SECOND FLOOD IN TWO YEARS IN CITRUSDAL
The town of Citrusdal lies on the banks of the Olifants River, which dried up during the drought of seven years ago. The precariousness of Citrusdal’s position has become very clear: mid-June last year, the main bridge that connects the town
to the highway taking fruit down to Cape Town was washed away during a flood. With financial help from mainly the farming community, the bridge was quickly rebuilt.
Now, right in the middle of the citrus season, that same bridge has been swept away by the force of the flooding again. Early estimates are that the damage will be even more than the R500 million (25.6 million euros) incurred during the flooding of last year.
Gerrit van der Merwe, chair of the Citrus Growers’ Association and scion of ALG Estates, one of the oldest citrus farms in
Citrusdal, predicts that the flow of citrus will be interrupted for at least the next few weeks.
“We already have a weak harvest on the trees due to all the rain. Now we are in more trouble. We are in trouble because we have clients who rely on us. We don’t sell fruit, we sell confidence of supply. The impact on the fruit will be less than last year. However, this will affect our crop estimate. Our biggest priority now is to avoid a humanitarian crisis, because the available food in the town can start to run out.”
The town with nearly all residents who rely on the citrus industry was cut-off for at least five days. Initially, producers were hopeful to only lose a week and a half of exports, but the extent of the damage and further rain meant further delays as the high water level took several days to recede.
FROST DAMAGE IN LIMPOPO
Part of the same frontal system that lashed the Western Cape was severe and exceptionally cold temperatures in the north of South Africa.
“There was big damage along the Elands River, even orchards that were 100% frozen,” explains a citrus exporter who requests not to be named. “When you cut open the fruit it looks like slush puppies [an iced drink] . It looks better towards the west but there’s damage everywhere. Temperatures varied between -3 and -5°C, even -8°C. Most places where it got so cold, it happened between 6am and 7am.”
There were three days of temperatures at -5°C for two hours and longer in central Limpopo. The extent of the damage is not fully clear yet and harvesting has been halted in some blocks, which is not ideal: “We’re drowning in fruit at the moment,” he remarks, “and we can’t afford to run behind with our schedule.”
PICKING UP THE PIECES
The Summer Citrus programme of South African citrus in the United States will be particularly affected by the flooding in Citrusdal. The net loss in Western Cape citrus, particularly soft citrus, will be impossible to replace with fruit from the Northern Cape, the only other province with market access to the United States. Consequently the US trade – which has been a mainstay of stable growth and prices over the past few years, compared to the volatility of citrus markets elsewhere – could be undersupplied by South Africa this season.
Local retail will be able to replace the gap in their supply caused by the Cape flooding with fruit from other provinces.
The excellent price for juice oranges – better than it’s ever been – will continue to provide a safety net as it has all through this difficult season. (The price of processing lemons is still weak.)
“We’re being inundated with oranges and we’re going to sell it at a premium overseas,” says a juice factory owner who requests anonymity. “We’re going to do a lot more on oranges than we’d originally planned because the price is through the roof. The juice price has trebled. It has never before competed so strongly with export prices.”
In fact, a number of exporters have confirmed that European buyers currently cannot match the price offered by local juice factories, with none of the hassle of packaging, following the steri protocol or shipping costs.
The high juice orange price is a piece of good fortune that the industry expects to last for at least another five years, until other countries have been able to establish orange orchards to replace Brazil’s orange orchards ravaged by Asian greening disease (huanglongbing).
Photographs by AC Burger photography
Aztec Fruits takes aim at European market
“Europe could be a huge Mexican avocado, mango, and papaya market”
Pick an avocado or mango off any European store shelf, and you will soon see a label with Peru, Kenya, and sometimes Spain listed as the country of origin. Occasionally, they will be from Mexico. That is quite unusual since Mexico is the world’s largest exporter of both fruits. Most of those volumes, though, do not go to Europe.
They go to Mexico’s neighbor to the north, the United States, or other parts of the world. “That’s a shame,” begins Rodolfo Meza of the Mexican exporter group Aztec Fruits. “The European market, too, offers plenty of opportunities for Mexican fruit.” That is why he established a sales office in Leuven, Belgium a few years ago.
The exporter group has growers specializing in avocados, mangoes, and papayas. “As a group, we trade these products in the local Mexico market, and have exported them to other parts of the world for some time. Not under the Aztec Fruits name, though. But, when I decided to move to Europe five years ago, we wanted to specifically target the European market. We noticed that few people were truly familiar with our products; that had to change,” says Rodolfo.
“When we began, I saw data that more Mexican avocados go to places like Japan and Korea than Europe. That’s highly unusual because Mexico is such a big producing country and Europe is one of the world’s most important markets. Especially when you see how popular products like avocados and mangoes are there.”
U.S. IS EASIER
The trader sees several significant reasons for the absence of Mexican fruit in European stores. “Europe generally isn’t the first destination for Mexican growers. In many ways, the U.S. is Mexico’s largest trading partner, and that’s no different for fresh fruit and vegetables. Many producers opt to export there more readily because it’s easier and often better paid. That makes European customers feel that Mexican exporters favor American buyers and that they send the better fruit that way,” Rodolfo explains.
Though that view, he says, often holds true, it is not necessarily the reality. “Since many exporters choose other parts of the world, we felt Europe presented opportunities. Not as a replacement for the existing origins in our specialized product groups but as an addition to the European assortment.”
EUROPEAN PERCEPTION
“Doing that is, of course, not so simple,” Rodolfo continues. “Europe is a tough market if you have no previous experience with it. There are so many regulations and strict requirements regarding food safety and quality. Compare that to the United States and the two markets differ vastly. You don’t master that overnight.”
“We, too, have had to get used to that. And, along with that comes perhaps the most important part: changing Europeans’ perception of Mexican fruit. We could provide a continuous supply of high-quality fruit, but people had to have the courage to try it. If we did it right, we felt Mexican fruit could earn its place on Europe’s store shelves,” explains Rodolfo.
“That feeling was, however, not quite yet shared by all Europeans. In the early days, I, for instance, was turned away more often than not. People said they didn’t need Mexican fruit. Then the key is to invest. You must gain people’s trust and show that Mexican avocados, mangoes, and papayas, too, are delicious. Early on, we, for example, shipped Ataulfo mangoes practically for free per pallet, just to show that we could deliver quality.”
ESPECIALLY MANGOES AND PAPAYAS
Aztec Fruits has managed to make some strides over the past few years, though it was easier with some products than others. “Avocados are a very tricky story. First, because Mexico has a very humid climate. The country is also far more weather-dependent for harvesting. That varies from season to season. For example, we had a tough time with the productions last season,” says Meza.
“Next season, it seems, will be the same again. Then, when you consider Peru,
where it sometimes seems avocados are mass-produced, it’s hard to compete. Plus, Mexican avocados aren’t cheap. The U.S. and local markets are huge, which quickly drives prices up. Then it’s hard to compete in Europe with cheaper products from, say, Colombia or Kenya.”
“But mangoes and papaya offer huge potential. Indeed, with mangoes, Mexico is in a different period than, say, Peruvian Kents. Thus, we can meet the European market need when there are fewer of those available,” Rodolfo reckons. “It’s the same with the Ataulfo variety, but that’s
a completely different variety with its own unique taste. With those, the largest variety in Mexico, we see that in the last five years, we’ve gone from one pallet to strong volumes. That should only increase further.”
“The same goes for papayas. We recently started nice programs with that; so it offers plenty of potential. It hasn’t always been easy, nor will it be, but we’re still very positive about Mexican fruit’s future. It will be a gradual process that will take time, but Mexico, too, is increasingly recognizing Europe’s potential. Now
it’s about making sure we expand that in a good, responsible way,” concludes Rodolfo.
rodolfo@aztecfruits.com
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Dealing with climate change in Spanish greenhouses
The effects of climate change are expected to be felt at an increasingly higher rate in the years to come. Yet, Spain is already grappling with issues related to water scarcity, soil degradation, and intensifying heat. The agricultural sector is adapting to these new challenges; however, a question looms: will it be enough to keep the sector future-proof?
The story goes that from space, you can spot two things: the Great Wall and Almería’s horticultural industry. As the vast majority of protected cropping systems in the region are plastic-covered, NASA has even described the region as “a sea of plastic.”
FEELING THE HEAT
With the summer months getting extremely hot, low-tech greenhouse growers have been the most impacted, but not in the way it may seem. “Tomato greenhouse growers are planting later than in previous years,” says Francisco Saba from Hortrecursos, a greenhouse grower specializing in tomatoes. Usually, tomato growers planted in July, but the increasing heat has forced them to delay planting. “There’s a risk of losing one to two vines per plant,” Francisco points out. High temperatures and little to no humidity certainly don’t do any good for tomatoes. Dimitri Calabrese from Hortoverde, a greenhouse grower whose production is destined for the Italian market, explains that tomato plants may lose up to 15-20% of the total harvest. “With late planting, you can somewhat fix that issue.” Such a hit to production may pose a significant challenge to tomato greenhouse growers. After all, their primary goal is to get
as many kilos as possible from each plant. “That’s the first income for a grower.” And when it comes to prices? “That’s up to the market, eventually,” Dimitri continues. So, regardless of climate change, Almería growers are following the same old principle of any greenhouse grower: get the most out of their plants.
Pepper growers, too, are feeling the heat and planting late. “Usually, pepper grow-
ers start planting between the 20th and 30th of July. Now, however, they begin in the first week of August,” explains Dimitri. “Last year, too, there was the same issue. Those who planted on the usual days saw their plants struggling because of the heat.” Late planting for peppers is not that big of an issue, says Dimitri, as the competition from Polish growers would greatly penalize Spanish production.
Cucumbers are one of the crops that have taken the biggest blow. Francisco says there’s a big shortage at the moment. “With these temperatures, the quality of cucumbers cannot be good.” Quality is not the only problem, as they also grow quite fast, requiring constant harvest-
ing, which can be quite costly for a meager payoff in the end.
However, heat doesn’t only affect plants. Francisco explains how it’s getting difficult to have bees within the greenhouses. “With these temperatures, bees can’t work in the greenhouse, so it’s essential to find a different solution.” Also, working conditions for farmworkers are becoming extremely uncomfortable, and this too is something that needs to be addressed in the future.
TROUBLED WATERS
At the same time, heat is not the only thing associated with climate change. Water scarcity is a huge issue in Spain, which is why they have invested in desalination plants to better meet water demand. “In Almería, we have a little less water than in previous years,” says Dimitri. “However, the situation is not as dire as in other
regions in Europe, like Sicily and Southern Italy, for example. Here in Almería, there are desalination plants. So, even though the water situation is not as good as in the past, growers are still not particularly concerned.”
When it comes to water, Francisco is taking it a step further by conducting meticulous and constant testing on the water entering his greenhouses. “There are a lot of certifications involved, and we are doing extensive checks and controls on the water we use in our facilities.”
While heat can be addressed with later planting, the issues of water scarcity and soil degradation can be somewhat mitigated with a different cultivation methodology, namely hydroponics. Unlike other (mainly) Northern European countries, the Spanish market tends to avoid making a distinction between hydroponical-
ly and non-hydroponically grown produce. However, things seem to be on an upward trajectory, with consumers becoming increasingly educated on the benefits of such a cultivation method. “It is still too early to say that Spanish consumers specifically look for hydroponically grown produce over traditionally cultivated vegetables,” Dimitri points out. “We have some hectares where we grow hydroponically, and I’ve noticed that there’s an increasing number of growers opting for this.” The reasons for this can be many, such as better operational costs or marketing a type of quality that can only be obtained in soilless cultivation. “Tomatoes, obviously, but also peppers and eggplants, are increasingly being grown hydroponically.” Creating an environment where plants can thrive and express their full genetic potential can be costly, especially upfront, but it certain-
ly provides some level of security for cultivation.
GLASS AND HYDROPONICS
Hydroponics is indeed the method Cualin Quality uses to grow their tomatoes. This Spanish grower, unlike the majority of other greenhouse growers, cultivates their crops in high-tech glasshouses. “Our high-tech glasshouses offer greater durability and resistance to adverse weather conditions compared to traditional plastic greenhouses,” says David Vicario Villa, commercial director at Cualin Quality. “Our glasshouses are equipped with advanced automation and climate control systems. On top of that, we also have a cogeneration plant that not only improves our energy efficiency and sustainability but also allows us to use the generated CO2 to enhance photosynthesis and, hence, the quality of our tomatoes.” The advanced infrastructure of Cualin Quality enables the grower to be prepared for any climate change-related challenges. “Our water management system is a pillar of our strategy. Not only do we have the capacity to store water for more than a year’s consumption, but we also max-
imize the available water by collecting condensation from the greenhouse glass and reusing it in our hydroponic systems. This approach allows us to maintain efficient operations even under water scarcity conditions.”
To conclude, while greenhouse growers in Spain are not significantly affected by climate change-related issues yet, increased heat, soil degradation, and water scarci-
ty are looming over them. With different cultivation methods, such as hydroponics or late planting, they can somewhat address current challenges relatively easily. Glasshouse growers certainly have an advantage over plastic greenhouse growers in that regard. However, setting up these kinds of structures can be quite costly, but so too may be the consequences of climate change.
Ziya Sizgin from UvaFruit Handels GmbH on the start of the season for Turkish organic pomegranates
“Significant
area expansions and volume increases”
The 2023/24 season was characterized by mixed results for organic pomegranate cultivation in Turkey. “Supply volumes were largely stable, although there were strong fluctuations in certain regions due to the weather. Demand, particularly on the Austrian market, was quite strong overall, as awareness of healthy and sustainable food continues to grow. The marketing window remained largely unchanged compared to previous years, with the season peaking in late fall,” summarizes Ziya Sizgin, Managing Director of UvaFruit Handels GmbH, based at Großgrünmarkt Vienna.
The past campaign ended shortly before the turn of the year with good sales
results, says Sizgin looking back. “Despite inflation, there was no significant reluc-
tance to buy our organic pomegranates. On the contrary: we were able to increase sales volumes again compared to the previous year. However, it must also be said that we only raised prices minimally, i.e. by 5-6 percent.”
APPROACHING START OF THE SEASON
The direct importer is expecting a slight increase in yield for the coming season, accompanied by good fruit quality. “The weather conditions in Turkey’s main growing regions have been favorable so far, which makes us optimistic. The first quantities are expected to be available in
mid-October, around the same time as in previous years. However, we are well prepared and could start a little earlier if conditions are favorable.”
GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY
As in the conventional sector, UVA Fruit offers the tried-and-tested Hicaz variety. Sizgin: “We continue to import conventional produce for stand sales at the wholesale market. Both campaigns run in parallel, from around the end of October until February. At Christmas, demand is traditionally somewhat higher, which in turn is pushed further with planned campaigns in food retail.” In wholesale, Turkish conventional pomegranates are in direct competition with Egypt and Italy. “The latter origin is not so well represented on the local wholesale market and Spain is also more of a marginal phenomenon. Egypt can occasionally be found, although Turkey is now the leader. Turkey also performs quite well in terms of value for money.”
We do not renounce our tradition, but we do not stay behind either. We bet on generational change, by giving a voice and opportunity to the youth.
Owners of the land.
Owners of what we produce.
WE OWN OUR FUTURE.
GROWTH CHARACTERIZES TURKISH ORGANIC POMEGRANATE
PRODUCTION
Organic pomegranate cultivation in Turkey is developing steadily, observes Sizgin. “The area under cultivation has increased significantly in recent years and export volumes are also on the rise, as the international market is placing more and more value on organically grown products. Organic pomegranates are also an attractive product from the producer’s point of view, as the fruit not only has health benefits, but also fetches good prices on the markets.”
The most important growing areas are mainly in the south-west and south-east of Turkey, where the climate is ideal for cultivation.
RISING DEMAND IN THE GERMAN-SPEAKING REGION
The Viennese trading company has been importing and distributing Turkish organic pomegranates for several years now. The organic products have also been listed in Austri-
an food retailers since the 21/22 season. “We have noticed that organic pomegranates are now also well established in the well-known Austrian supermarket chains. Demand in food retail is continuing to increase, which is also due to the growing consumer awareness of healthy eating and sustainability mentioned above. Organic products in particular are currently experiencing a real boom. Demand is also rising steadily in the Austrian wholesale trade and in neighboring countries such as Germany and Switzerland, as consumers are increasingly paying attention to quality and origin.”
FURTHER GROWTH POTENTIAL AVAILABLE
Due to the encouraging growth in the organic pomegranate category, Sizgin is very positive about the future of the product. “The product undoubtedly has the potential to grow further, as it is increasingly being used not only as a fresh fruit, but also in processed form, such as in juices and as an ingredient in various products. One way to present the product even better would be to focus more on the
health aspects and sustainable cultivation methods behind the fruit. In addition, I believe that the packaging and presentation in the markets could be further optimized in order to emphasize the organic
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character of the fruit more strongly and concisely,” he concludes.
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Fall beefsteak tomatoes wanted this winter too
Dutch and Belgian lit cultivation struggled in recent years, but this winter, tomato and cucumber crops are back in force. Work is increasing in the heart of summer on hundreds of hectares of tomato grown under lights. Before those growers are in full production, however, fall growers will supply local tomatoes. With a harvest window from December through January, they fill the gap between traditional unlit and lit cultivation nicely, even though production cycles have shifted in recent years due to virus pressure and energy issues.
Litand fall tomato cultivation rarely, if ever, crosses boundaries. Two winters ago, there were hardly any tomatoes grown under lights because of the energy crisis, and thus, the fall crop flourished. Acreage rose sharply, once-off. That has now stabilized, returning to the level before that particular winter. In mid-July, Peter Custers, account manager at Bayer De Ruiter, a breeding company in the Netherlands, estimated that to be about 70 hectares. This company has always been strong in fall varieties, and Peter anticipates a slight increase last season. “A few new growers, or ones who sat out a year, joined or started again,” he begins.
At BelOrta, in Belgium, Maarten Verhaegen, head of the cooperative’s vegetable division, is counting on 30 to 40 hectares of fall TOVs this year. “Really large vine tomatoes, right? From the Princess segment,” he says. Usually, mainly cucumber growers set up a fall crop of tomatoes and mostly choose large varieties. A few also grow loose tomatoes in the fall. “But that’s become a niche. Especially some smaller growers still cultivate those in the fall.” Loose tomatoes have stiff import competition, and during the energy crisis, some buyers, due to the lack of local production, looked toward Spain and North Africa. “That set a trend, and others followed, to the detriment of locally-grown loose tomato sales,” says Maarten.
Bayer De Ruiter’s Speedella variety
MORE SUPPLEMENTAL THAN OVERLAPPING
In mid-July, the media gauged winter tomato cultivation at around 600 hectares in the Netherlands alone. That puts three-quarters of the existing pre-energy crisis back in production. Last year, after the crisis winter of 2022/2023, that was already roughly 300 to 400 hectares. Peter knows the two crops’ production mainly overlap in January. “Lit crop
production is often limited in December. From January on, though, the crops can overlap,” he says.
Given what he knew in mid-July, Maarten expects lit and fall tomato crops to “fit even better together than usual” this winter. “Energy prices for growers, though, are slightly higher than first calculated. That undoubtedly affects when they expect to come into production. We’re
getting different information every week, but it seems some growers’ lit crops won’t come into production until the second half of January,” he explains, when fall growers are just wrapping up. “This winter should be fairly flat in the word’s positive sense, so with continuous productions.”
Passion for Growing
Competing with imports
These days, Dutch and Belgian greenhouse horticulture faces considerable competition from overseas and is under a microscope due to energy usage. Fall tomatoes, though, seem to have a decent position regarding their CO2 footprint. With the help of a favorable fall with ample sunlight, a good tomato harvest around Christmas is achievable, with relatively little heating. However, hard figures on that carbon footprint have (yet) to be available. That makes Peter Custers and Maarten Verhaegen cautious.
That is because even fall tomato cultivation requires energy. “You can’t grow without
CONTINUOUS NEW CROPS
At BelOrta, the first fall crop, as with other cultivation cycles, has always been dubbed the ‘young crop’. Before the energy crisis began, Maarten predicted this would end (Primeur September 2021). That has now happened. “Because of ToBRFV issues, but also because of energy and other things, growers have become more flexible with their sowing dates, so newly harvested crops are actually continuously coming to market. I know a grower who’s planting now and another who is starting again in four weeks. At BelOrta, we, thus, have high-quality tomatoes year-round,” he declares.
Peter adds that growers also occasionally set up a summer tomato crop after, say, cultivation issues or prior to growing high-wire cucumbers under lights. You can plant a summer crop as early as July or August, while fall crops are traditionally planted in the first half of September. Growers predominantly choose large TOVs for this. “We’ve always been strong in that segment,” he points out, explaining Bayer De Ruiter’s solid fall toma-
energy,” Peter says. “You must activate the plant, even when the sun’s shining nicely, especially when the weather’s more humid.” He reckons that if you compare imported and local fall tomatoes’ net figures, fall tomatoes may well fare better than their imported counterparts.
Maarten, too, points out that fall tomato crops are “not the most energy-intensive.” Still, like Peter, he is cautious. “I think marketers are more concerned about the carbon footprint than worried consumers,” he says. Without a full calculation, including all factors like transport and labor, for example, he believes
to market position in autumn tomatoes, with its most chosen variety in this segment being Speedella. “For summer cultivation, growers choose our Marinice or Grandice varieties.” Medium-sized vine tomatoes are also sometimes grown in greenhouses for a fall crop. “For that, we have the Sevance,” says Peter.
BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES WANTED
He and Maarten agree that imported tomatoes coming to the Netherlands and Belgium are what mainly determine fall tomato prices. “Imports 100% set fall tomato pricing,” Maarten states adamantly. “Two winters ago, the pricing was moderate until New Year, and then it was good. Last season was exactly the opposite, with good prices until New Year that then declined.”
BelOrta highly values auction sales, and unlike in lit cultivation, there is no real question of fall tomato cultivation contracts. “The harvest window is quite short, so making deals with retailers and wholesalers is difficult,” Maarten admits. One exception is the fall beefsteak toma-
drawing definite conclusions is dangerous. “Everyone has their truth. Our growers must have a future. If the current carbon footprint discussion should negatively affect that, I think we’re talking about the wrong thing.”
to crop. BelOrta has asked several growers to set up a fall production of these tomatoes on a contract basis for next season. Here, ToBRFV-resistant varieties are chosen. That, too, differs from fall TOV cultivation, he observes. “Our growers can distinguish themselves well with nice, big beefsteak tomatoes. Customers in this segment, keen on quality and freshness, genuinely appreciate that. But if there were no client demand, we’d not encourage growers to solely grow beefsteak tomatoes in the fall,” Maarten concludes.
Anthony Serafino with EXP. Group:
“Europe is a cornucopia of opportunity”
Back in 2005, EXP. Group was founded by Emil Serafino and his business focused on importing tropical fruits and vegetables from South America into the United States (U.S.) Bananas, plantains, avocados, mangos, coconuts, passion fruit and guava are just a few items the company started with. Over the years, the selection has expanded, and the company now offers more than 250 different SKU’s. “We are focusing more on commodities that enable us to control the supply chain,” says Anthony Serafino, President and Principal of EXP. Group and Emil’s son. As a result, citrus, melons, asparagus, carrots, onions and specialty potatoes are now all part of the portfolio as well. The company is still partnering with growers in Central and South America, but also sources closer to home, in the U.S.
The expansion in product offering was followed by a geographic expansion. While founded in New Jersey, on the U.S. East Coast, a second location was opened
up in Texas. “We even have plans to open a 3rd and 4th location in the U.S.,” Serafino shared. “We are looking at a West Coast location to service our Asian mar-
kets as well as an additional East Coast location to serve our customers in Europe. The combination of product and geographic expansion makes us a more all-round, global provider of produce.”
“In the U.S., we have become an established player with a 300,000 sq ft. headquarters facility, over 80 trucks, and moving 600,000 packages a week.” Produce is distributed across the country and into Canada and the company is able to fulfill the needs of their clients in North America. “However, we are in a business to serve people, and we believe we can make a difference in Europe,” commented Serafino. Just like in the U.S., retailers and wholesalers in Europe are also looking for steady quality and supplies. As a result, the team spread their wings and started looking for opportunities in Europe several years ago. “The Fruit Attraction trade show in Madrid has really helped us in making connections in Europe and giving us a head start. This show continues to be a key event for us and this year will be my fifth time attending. We’ve always been able to meet with prospective clientele and Fruit Attraction has allowed us to bring the success that we have built in the Americas to Europe.”
In addition to the Fruit Attraction show, Serafino believes Brexit has also made it easier to enter a key market like the U.K. “Upon achieving independence from the E.U., the U.K. has become significantly more advantageous for us. The uncertainty surrounding the post-E.U. United Kingdon had previously caused many companies to question what the future would hold. However, the successful implementation of Brexit prompted us to reconsider our approach to the country and we recognized a tremendous opportunity for market entry.” EXP. Group’s internal data and analysis revealed that numerous companies had been indecisive due to the evolving geopolitical landscape. “It resulted in prioritizing our efforts in the U.K. We firmly believe there is an abun-
dance of potential for sustained business growth in the region,” Serafino said.
DIFFERENT
CLIENTELE
Europe in general is a very attractive market for EXP. Group. “It is a growing market, a cornucopia of opportunity,” Serafino commented. Why is Europe so attractive? It starts with the customer base. The characteristics of the company’s clientele in Europe differ significantly from their customer base in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Even within North America, each of these countries have distinct requirements. “In the U.S., certain market segments hold a higher premium compared to others while this differentiation is not as prevalent in European markets, we’ve observed.”
Additionally, European markets place a stronger emphasis on detailed quality control and extensive certification requirements compared to North America. “While quality requirements for produce going into the EU are very strict, they are the same in each member state, which simplifies business.” In North America on the other hand, the U.S. and Canadian
markets are very different when it comes to quality requirements for produce. “We can bring avocados from Guatemala into Canada, but not into the U.S. It’s the same with papayas from Costa Rica. They are also welcomed in Canada, but not in the U.S.”
The E.U. has one governing body and one set of rules that apply to all member countries. “All the different countries together act like the U.S., which makes it much easier to do business.” In addition to having one set of rules, the E.U. is easier to deal with logistically. “You can get around fairly quickly. It’s almost the same distance going from Paris to London versus Detroit to Chicago.” With EXP. Group mainly selling produce in the U.K., Spain, France, the Netherlands, and Ireland, concentrated distribution allows for a small footprint. “In addition, transit times to the E.U. are very short from our location on the U.S. East Coast.”
“Finally, we believe that our unwavering commitment to excellence closely aligns with the core values that we perceive in the European market,” Serafino commented.
ASPARAGUS
From the moment EXP. Group had their eyes set on distribution in Europe, Serafino picked one item he was going to export. “We feel it’s best to excel in one item, get to know the market and then slowly expand
Anthony Serafino
with other items,” he said. Asparagus is the biggest item the company is currently shipping to different markets in Europe and the feedback is very positive. “It is a bellwether item for us, and we are masterminding the European regulations and quality requirements for asparagus.” A few other products are exported, but in limited quantities. All products destined for the European market are flown in by air. “We are specializing in air freight because it is less complicated than ocean shipments and it allows us to get into the game much easier. Once we are more established, air freight may be supplemented with ocean shipments.”
With aspirations to become a global brand, EXP. Group is looking at opening up a division in Europe. Serafino expects that having a physical presence and becoming a more established player will make a difference. “We have big plans, and our goal is to open up a brick-and-mortar location where we can meet with retailers and wholesalers.”
anthony@expgroup.us
Pablo van Linden, Agrofair:
“Imports offer promising potential for Bolivian bananas”
“Monoculture is its own enemy,” begins Pablo van Linden, Banana Sourcing Manager at Agrofair. This Dutch company focuses on the distribution of Fairtrade bananas. He is referring to the banana diseases spreading like wildfire, thanks to monoculture, making banana supply chains vulnerable. “In Peru, for example, TR4 has been confirmed in about 500 hubs, and it’s only a matter of time before the disease spreads further from that country. That complicates Peruvian exports somewhat, and some growers are already switching to, say, cotton or rice cultivation.”
That is why, along with low cost prices, Agrofair is always looking for bananas from other countries of origin. This ensures banana supply continuity. Countries like Bolivia come into the picture here, says Pablo. Increased diversificati-
on would lead to a less vulnerable banana crop, and new varieties are thus being developed.
But, even if resistant varieties exist, hundreds of thousands of hectares of banana
plantations would have to be replaced, he adds, which would take much time and money. Opportunities in other areas must, therefore, also be explored. “We must think of other growing areas that are still TR4-free. That’s one of the aspects that makes Bolivia attractive,” says Pablo.
CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC
That is also why Agrofair is looking into potentially importing Bolivian bananas and banana and mango puree. “The opportunities for importing bananas from Bolivia are promising.” Pablo anticipates that the supply will initially be conventional. With guidance, a shift will then slowly be made to Fairtrade and— where climate conditions permit—organic bananas, which the sourcing man-
ager sees bring more value, a plus for exports. “If growers get better prices for their bananas, they can cover more chain costs,” he explains.
Van Linden thinks growing organic bananas in part of Bolivia may be possible. “Not all areas are suitable for that. Of the 100+ containers we bring in week-
ly from all origins, about 65% are organic. Countries like Nicaragua, Panama, or Costa Rica have humid climates and, therefore, so much disease pressure that organic cultivation is almost impossible. The largest Bolivian banana region is humid too, so it probably won’t be easy there. Still, other regions where bananas are grown might offer opportunities
One of the products Bolivia exports to Europe is the açai berry; frozen or dried, because of its short shelf life. Roberto Calzadilla, Bolivia’s ambassador to the Netherlands: “This berry is very popular in South America and has plenty of potential in Europe, too.” Açai berries also help preserve the Amazon rainforest and the livelihood of the indigenous communities that harvest them. “Açai berries grow wild in the Amazon; they’re not cultivated on plantations. That is one of the best ways to preserve the forest; you don’t have to cut down trees to make room for plantations. Plus, less deforestation reduces climate change.”
for organic cultivation. We must still look into that.”
BOOSTING EXPORTS
Agrofair will initially work with cooperatives when banana exports from Bolivia begin. “That way, there will be volumes available to export right away. We can further boost exports by guarantee-
Bolivia wants to boost banana exports Agrofair is constantly looking for new origins to source bananas from, and Bolivia is one of them
Açai
Bolivia exploring fresh produce exports to Europe
“The European market is an important, growing one for non-traditional Bolivian products. Those include shelled Brazil nuts, dried beans, oregano, and canned palm hearts, though still in limited quantities,” says Roberto Calzadilla, Bolivia’s ambassador to the Netherlands.
“Bolivia wants to bring fresh products to the European market, too.” That would be things like lemons, fava beans, canned pineapple or palm hearts, as well as bananas. “We usually focus more on regional markets and have only just started exploring the banana export market. We export, for instance, pineapples or coffee, so we’re familiar with European export regulations and the associated chain processes. I, thus, see opportunities to export our bananas,” says Ambassador Calzadilla.
to boost banana and other product exports is its increased crop availability. “Bolivia has converted much of the illegal coca fields to cultivating things like pineapple, tea, and bananas. We’ve sought alternative products to stimulate the economy.”
Ambassador Calzadilla points out that the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs launched the Catalogue of Bolivia’s Exportable Supply 2024 - 2025, consisting of 48 products. “With this, Bolivia is committed to promoting fresh products worldwide, especially
ing a sales volume. That will allow us to expand the Bolivian acreage. About half of the 1.1 million km2 territory is tropical, so there’s plenty of room for bananas,” Pablo explains.
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value-added, healthy, unique-tasting products. These products come from grower and indigenous economic organizations, microenterprises, and public companies,” he says.
Lots of room Calzadilla believes further banana cultivation expansion in Bolivia is undoubtedly possible. “Our large country has plenty of space, and we’ve been growing and exporting bananas to regional markets for 25 years. The sector, thus, has the necessary experience. Bolivia has 22,000 families growing bananas.”
One of those regional markets is neighboring Argentina, which in turn offers opportunities for transit to Europe, the ambassador says.
Another advantage is that Bolivia has an abundance of indigenous banana varieties. “We haven’t experimented much with that yet. But, there are dozens of varieties you could export.” Pablo also foresees that since sales-wise, Agrofair serves South Korea, Singapore, and New Zealand in addition to the European market, there are certainly opportunities for different varieties. “For example, we sell Red Bananas to the UK, and Asian stores love small bananas. All our markets want bananas other than
“Logistics-wise, Bolivia’s export products must be shipped via Chile and Peru’s ports,” Ambassador Calzadilla explains, adding that he considers that challenging but not a problem. He notes that the wars in Europe and the Middle East have negatively impacted transportation prices while Bolivia’s infrastructure is developing significantly. Also, infrastructure is far more integrated in South America. “Our country already has good roads to Chile, Peru, Argentina, and Brazil, among others, and we’ve now started building highways.”
seccioncomercial@embassyofbolivia.nl
the Cavendish. We meet that demand and see if we can build a market for those different varieties,” he adds.
DISCUSSIONS
There is a downside to Bolivan imports. “The country is far from a port, so transit times are a week longer than from, say, Peru. That makes it a little more expensive and challenging for bananas.” To meet that challenge, Agrofair is seeking collaboration with the entire chain. “We’re talking to several other chain parties. We consider not only producers but also transport, ports, and the possibilities. We try to improve things where we can and, eventually, we’ll come out ahead,” Pablo concludes .
pablo.van.linden@agrofair.nl
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Bolivia has 25 years of experience in banana cultivation and exports the fruit mainly to neighboring markets
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Peru provides Europe, the U.S., and, increasingly, Asia with fruit (and some vegetables)
From unknown 20 years ago to indispensable today
With a coastline stretching more than 2,000 km, Peru as a country mostly consists of deserts backed by the Andes mountains and a patch of jungle. So, it is quite remarkable that this South American country has, over the last 20 years, managed to establish itself as an integral link in the Northern Hemisphere low-season fruit supply chain. In early May, Pieter Boekhout spoke to managers of some 25 fruit and vegetable companies and organizations there. This article is a report on that tour.
Taking advantage of the water 53 rivers from the Andes’ pours into the Pacific Ocean on Peruvian land means small-scale farmers - and, since the 90s, especially large projects - have truly expanded their asparagus, banana, grape, mandarin, avocados, mango and blueberry cultivation. Despite the sometimes tense political situation - just think of the recent unrest
in December 2022 and July 2023 - private initiatives have succeeded in putting Peruvian fruits and vegetables on the map, supported by government policies specifically aimed at horticulture.
Peru is 31 times the size of the Netherlands and is home to 35 million people. With a diverse climate, a wide vari-
ety of fruits and vegetables grow there. But all is not rosy for Peruvian fruit growers. As in any part of the world, challenges lie ahead. Climate issues - who hasn’t heard of El Niño? - and water availability -despite the supply from the Andes - are the two most important.
EACH KIND OF FRUIT HAS A SECTOR ORGANIZATION
In 2024, Peru will be the world’s largest blueberry and organic banana exporter; the second largest of avocados, asparagus, artichokes, mandarins, and grapes, and the third largest of mangoes. “That’s partly thanks to several industry associations being created per horticultural product at the end of the last century. Those include ProCitrus, ProArándanos, Provid, and ProHass,” begins Gabriel
Blueberries as far as the eye can see on Agrovision’s Olmos farm
Amaro, president of the umbrella organization Agap.
“We represent the entire sector.” Agap is the Peruvian government’s go-between and one of the driving forces behind the vast irrigation projects along the Peruvian coast. These are vital for managing 400,000 hectares of crops. The sector and government want to keep gaining horticultural land from the desert in northern and southern Peru and add about 200,000 hectares.
On an institutional level, Agap works with Senasa, the agricultural health service that seeks to break down phytosanitary barriers in new markets, and with Promperú. This government agency promotes Peruvian exports. “Through free trade agreements, attempts are being
signed conventions with the ILO because we believe our workers should have full labor rights. This approach may make the sector slightly less competitive than our neighbors, mainly because of the higher minimum wage. We try to offset that by increasing productivity in the field, processing warehouses, and logistics. We have only 20 years on the clock, and plenty of potential remains. In fact, fresh produce exports will likely double in the next 20 years.”
“That’s not only of established products such as asparagus, blueberries, grapes, and avocados, but also thanks to newly introduced products like tarragon fruit, cherries, persimmons, and pecans from Ica,” explains Gabriel. “Persimmons have enormous potential, especially for export to countries such as Spain and Japan,”
the air,
FROM $1 BILLION TO $10 BILLION IN
“Two decades ago, Peruvian agri-exports, which consisted of asparagus, and coffee and cacao beans, was worth around
From
it is easy to see Piura’s desert plantations. Sufficient water has created tens of thousands of hectares of fertile farmland
Vela, director of the CIen-Adex research center. He was Peru’s Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister from December 2018 to July 2020. “Last year, after diversifying the export basket with known current fruit varieties, the sector managed to exceed $10 billion. However, most progress was made between 2010 and 2019. The pandemic and El Niño slowed growth in recent years. Exports are enormously important. Fruit and vegetable growers whose produce is destined for the international market, earth 50% more than those who sell their goods locally.”
He points out that in the Amazon, there are still many crops that could become the fruit of the future. However, that area and the Andes-Peruvian coast’s poor connectivity are among the main factors
hindering the agro-export sector’s further development. “We, for example, have excellent quality pineapples that grow at high altitudes in the jungle, but the lack of good roads to the port and airport makes exporting them difficult,” Edgar Manuel remarks..
According to him, another significant challenge - unlike the last 30 years when politics and economics in Peru seem to be entirely separate worlds - is how political instability has affected fruit and vegetable companies’ growth prospects in the last two years. “Two years ago, a law critical to promoting the agri-export sector for the last 20 years was changed.” It allowed employers in that industry certain tax advantages when hiring. “Fortunately, the current government plans
to reinstate this law to promote horticulture, including support for irrigation projects,” Edgar Manuel reveals.
NEW PORT: CHANCAY
The first ships should arrive at the new port of Chancay, some 70 km north of the Peruvian capital, Lima, early next year. Cosco Shipping Ports, which manages more than 300 berths in 38 ports, is drawing on its extensive experience to build this new port. It will connect Peru and, by extension, neighboring countries to the Asian market via a direct route with a transit time of no more than 27 days rather than the current 38-40 days. “Only ten percent of Peru’s agri-exports are destined for the Far East, mainly because of that long sea voyage,” declares Alonso Guinand, head of marketing at Cosco Shipping Ports.
This new port will have four transshipment facilities built in its first construction phase. Two of those will be equipped to receive the largest container ships in the world, with a capacity between 18,000 and 21,000 TEUs. Once completed, the port will include 11 container ship terminals and four multipurpose terminals. It will take between 15 and 2 years to finish all four phases. Most containers destined for China are currently loaded at the port of Callao, near Lima. But that is not a direct route to Asia. Feeder services to the port of Chancay are planned for fruit from northern Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia, as well as goods from Chile.
Many Peruvian fruit exporters look forward to using this direct route to China. “The Chinese market’s advantage is that companies there often pay well, sometimes even in advance. There is a market for small avocados, and green mandarins
Sayuri Sakihama Meléndez and Juan Antonio Portugal Quinteros of PromPerú
are well received. In Europe, by contrast, consumers only want orange mandarins,”
Manuel Augusto of the cultivation company Sun Fruits Exports knows. “Until now, we haven’t considered the Far East an attractive option because of the long journey, especially when cold treatment is needed. After all, fruit suffers tremendously if stored at 0°C for 35 days,” adds Alfonso Rizo-Patrón, a Procitrus board member.
AVOCADOS
In 2022, Peru sold 583,214 tons of avocados on the overseas market. “Of the 27,000 avocado growers in Peru, about 20,000 own a plot, especially in the Andes, of less than one hectare,” Arturo Medina Castro, director of sector association ProHass, told the Associated Press. FAO data shows that Peruvian avocado acreage reached 70,545 hectares in 2022, making the country the world’s third largest producer of this fruit, after Mexico (234,821 hectares) and Colombia (110,183 hectares). “Peru exports about 60% of its avocados to Europe, 20% to the United States, 10% to Chile, and the rest to countries in Asia,” says Arturo.
“As with products like grapes, mandarins, and blueberries, most avocado cultivation is done in desert valleys near the coast. Most are sold between weeks 12 and 37, with the season peaking from weeks 21 to 31.” Despite the acreage and variety range expansion, Arturo warns of overproduction. “We worry about market prices during certain parts of the season. A concentration of crops in central Peru can cause lower prices on the European market. Especially if you add volumes that our competitors, particularly South Africa and Kenya, supply. And in the U.S. market with local and Mexican production,” he explains.
Manuel Augusto of Sun Fruits Exports agrees. “Several growers in central Ica are replacing their avocados with grapes, mandarins, or blueberries. Although the European market easily absorbs 500 containers per week, production peaks, with outliers of 1,000 containers per week from Peru to Europe, cause an oversupply and consequently lower prices. A €0.60/ kg grower price doesn’t cover costs. Other fruit crops, primarily grapes, are much more profitable,” he says.
Water availability and quality are concerns, too. Sun Fruits needs an average of 14,000m3 of water per hectare to grow avocados; that is over 50% more than the 9,000m3 for grapes. “The problem
isn’t only how much water we need, but it must also have a very low salinity. The aquifer we pump from, though, is getting more saline every year, not because of its proximity to the sea - we’re 400 meters above sea level - but because the aquifer’s water level is dropping, thus increasing the water’s salt concentration. Although a vineyard initially costs more than an avocado plot, the crops come into production sooner, which offsets that investment. Plus, banks lend more easily for grapes than avocado cultivation.”
“European prices for small to medium avocados are low,” adds Omar Díaz, director of Westfalia Fruit Peru, a multinational Westfalia Fruit Group subsidiary, in early May. “There’s plenty of supply from countries like Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. That’s why Asia is important for us. We can send our small sizes, which are very much in demand there.” To stay on the market longer, Westfalia Fruit Peru is doing tests with other varieties, mainly GEM® and Lamb Hass. “GEM® is a variety that’s a little later than Hass and Lamb Hass, which finishes the season and generally comes in larger sizes. We could extend exports until mid-October with these,” Omar explains.
“According to official sector figures, climate change will decrease this year’s Peruvian avocado harvest by 16%,” states Arantxa Nuñez, sales director at Danper, a cultivation company with some 14,000 employees in Peru. “However, we and other market participants think it will be more, between 25% and 30%, with main-
ly large sizes lacking. In a normal year, we achieve yields of 20-25 tons per hectare; this season, some regions have less than 12 tons/ha. We must invest in new, heat-resistant varieties that can adapt to the new climate.”
According to Isaías Segovia Romaní, who manages Danish company Ingleby Farms’ horticultural operations in Peru, El Niño caused even more significant losses in avocado crops last season. “Not so much because of the higher temperatures, which did impact flowering, but mainly because of all the rain. That led to a 30% root system loss. We got 1,300mm in six weeks, while it’s usually an average of 60 mm per year. After what happened last year, we improved our drainage system. This year’s crop is in much better shape,” he reckons.
While growing a kilogram of Peruvian avocados takes about 900 liters of water, Ingleby Farms’s plots in the Lambayeque province use only slightly more than half that. “Simply by improving the root system using microorganisms that live in synergy with the roots, we also use 30% fertilizer. And while some other growers record losses of some 80% due to unfavorable weather conditions, our crop drops no more than 15%,” Isaías says.
Ingleby Farms grows Trichoderma Harzianum and Bacillus Subtilis in its laboratories. These bacteria colonize avocado tree roots, exchanging nutrients like sugar, carbohydrates, and nitrogen and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus.
Cosco Shipping Ports is building a new port near Lima
In 2022, Peru exported 583,214 tons of avocados
“The root improvement means a solid 30 tons/hectare average yield.”
GRAPES
FAO figures show that, In 2022, Peru exported 526.857 tons of grapes. Based on Provid statistics, 49% of that acreage is in the department of Ica and 37% in Piura. Usually, about 90% of exports are done from week 40 to week 3, with the season peaking in weeks 47 and 48.In 2023-2024, 59% of grape exports were destined for North America, 21% for Europe, and 13% for Asia. “Last season, though, El Niño caused a 12% drop in exports,” proclaims Manuel Yzaga, president of industry association, Provid. “In northern Peru, crops suffered from high humidity. I think exports will pick up next season because La Niña will bring along cooler weather, so yields will likely increase.”
Some 30 years ago, Peru primarily had Crimson, Thompson, Flame, and Sugraone grapes. Later, when the Asian market also opened up, Red Globe was added. In 2023-2024, the most commonly grown varieties were Sweet Globe (22%), Red Globe (16%), Autumn Crisp (14%), Sheegene 20 - Allison (7%), and Sweet Celebration (5%). White seedless grapes represented 54% of acreage last season, red seedless 25%, Red Globe 16%, and black seedless 5%.
“The vines grew at a different rate last season,” remarks Alonso Puga, director of Proserla, a grower/packer in northern Peru. “In a normal year, 160 days pass between pruning and harvesting Autumn Crisp grapes; last year, it was only 125. And the bunches usually weigh 700-750 grams; last season, they weighed 300350 g. We face challenges this year, too. Huge volumes are expected on the market from all over Peru. With such large volumes, we’ll have to develop a sales strategy based on quality and good timing. It will be a game of chess.”
CITRUS
The Peruvian citrus season runs from April to September. Peru follows Brazil, South Africa, and Argentina as the Southern Hemisphere’s fourth largest citrus grower. In 2022, the country’s growers harvested 344,265 tons of limes and lemons, 591,187 tons of oranges, and 638,844 tons of mandarins and clementines, according to data published by the FAO. “Perus exports only 15% of its citrus, most is sold locally,” notes Sergio del Castillo, CEO of sector organization, ProCitrus.
“Citrus flowering was disappointing last year due to high temperatures, resulting in a six percent lower harvest and exports, but that should recover this year. Estimates put exports at 280,000
tons, including 220,000 tons of mandarins and clementines, about 30,000 tons of limes, 25,000 tons of Valencia oranges, and roughly 2,000 tons of grapefruit.”
Despite the good sales prospects of high-quality easy peelers, especially Nadorcott and Tango, there are, at present, no major acreage expansion projects in Peru. “The significant investments are concentrated in the country’s north, with avocado and blueberry plantings. Citrus cultivation is more in the center and south,” says Alfonso Rizo-Patrón, a ProCitrus board member. “Satsuma was the first mandarin variety to be grown in Peru, more specifically in the central province of Huaral. Growers with a Japanese background introduced it,” adds Diego Garibaldi, director of the Agroindustrial G&P SAC growing company.
“Eight years ago, only ten percent of the EU’s citrus purchases were done in our window; that’s now up to 30-35%,” say the ProCitrus representatives. “And while in the United States five times more citrus used to be sold in winter than in summer, that’s now dropped to 1.5. That change in consumer behavior opens up prospects for marketing our modern, easy peeler varieties. Despite their poorer coloringdue to high temperatures - those are still excellent 10.5 to 12 degree Brix content.”
LIMES
In Peru, most limes are cultivated in the north of the country, where some growers own between 1.000 to 1.500 hectares. According to Ricardo Solorzano Cadillo, financial manager of Sol de Olmos, Peruvian limes compete primarily with Mexican fruit. “But, with an average juice content of 38-42%, Peruvian limes are juicer than their Mexican counterparts, which remain at 25-28%. The Peruvian limes have thinner skin and, with a pH of 6, are more acidic than the Mexican ones, which have a pH of 9. But Mexican limes are darker, which consumers consider a sign of quality, so they command 30-40% higher selling prices than Peruvian ones. We compete with Colombia and Brazil, too, but manage to get great export market results,” he says.
Lemons are a small product in Peru. Still, an Argentinian company recently set up an organic lemon orchard in northern Peru. “Argentina has a huge area of lemons, but that cultivation is conventional. They have to use plant protection products to control different diseases. However, Olmos’s soil is still virgin, the cli-
mate is dry, and the water is high quality, so organic fruit growing is a great asset. Also, Huanglongbing or citrus canker aren’t yet prevalent in our growing areas.”
BANANAS
Dole Ecuador started exporting Peruvian organic bananas back in 1995. However, only in 2002 did the first container of Fairtrade organic bananas reach the Netherlands. “With the advent of Fairtrade, growers began organizing them-
25-30% less avocados expected this year
selves and selling the bananas for more,” comments Walter Mauricio Canovas, advisor to the Junta Nacional del Banano. This organization unites small-scale Peruvian banana growers. “By now, the average $2/box price that growers got in those early years is up to $6.”
Unlike countries like Colombia and Ecuador, Peru can focus on organic banana cultivation because the country’s north has rather low humidity. Virtually 90% of Peru’s organic banana production is in the Valle del Río Chira, in the department of Piura. “We’re the only country with no Sigatoka. In the Colombian and Ecuadorian tropical climates, growers must use plant protection products to keep that fungus at bay. But Peru’s exports are much smaller than Ecuador’s,” explains Walter Mauricio. Accord-
ing to FAO data, Peruvian banana exports totaled 164,971 tons in 2022, while Ecuador’s was 6,879,238 tons.
“Our crop is small scale, and since there’s a limited availability of water, it cannot be expanded much. That’s why multinationals are inactive in our country,” declares Diego Balarezo of Solidaridad Peru. He adds that in Peru’s 20-year history of Fairtrade bananas, he has seen more progress in their small-scale growers’ living conditions than in the 35-year history of the Fairtrade label in the coffee sector. “We, though, have a massive problem: we’re already at the second or third generation of growers who keep dividing the acreage they own among their children. Now, a grower has an average of a single hectare, but some families have a quarter of a hectare or less.”
Solidaridad is a global organization set up in the Netherlands more than 50 years ago. In 1988, it was part of the founding of Max Havelaar. The organization supports small-scale miners and coffee, sustainable palm oil, cocoa, and fruit producers in Peru. In the fruit sector, the largest product group is banana, the marketing of which began in cooperation with the Dutch trading company AgroFair.
The stagnation of the Fairtrade and organic banana market in recent years means Fairtrade International has announced a moratorium on certifying new plantations. “Bananas are one of the best-selling products in supermarkets, which are determined to keep this fruit’s price low. Bananas thus serve as a loss leader,” AgroFair’s Luud Clercx observes. “It’s impossible to make a profit with a €0.99/kg store price, but supermarkets’ goals lie elsewhere: they want to attract people who then buy other products that do boost their profits. In other words, stores consider bananas ‘an island of loss in a sea of profit’, as a retail researcher once put it.”
Aside from dividing up plots, there is another issue that, if not addressed, proclaims Walter Mauricio, can lead to the banana sector’s demise. “I’m talking about Fusarium TR4. Until last year, we had hardly any problems with this fungus because it doesn’t do well in our dry climate. However, after El Niño and Cyclone Yaku last year, relative humidity skyrocketed, and the fungus managed to spread somewhat. Hopefully, our region’s climate will remain dry in the coming years. Nonetheless, introducing a new resistant variety seems to be the only adequate solution to TR4,” he explains.
“By improving the root system, the average yield rises to 30 tons per hectare.”
MANGOES
In Peru, the mango season kicks off around week 45 and lasts until about week 13, and the crop is grown in the northern part of the country. In the Piura region, 80% of mango growers have less than ten hectares. With a 90% share, Kent is the leading variety. “The remainder consists of varieties sold in the local market or destined for the processing industry, especially the Edward variety,” says César Morocho Marchán, director of Frutas de Piura.
“Peruvian mangoes arrive on an opportunity-laden market, after Ecuador, but before Mexico and Central America. Although we ship most of it to Europe, the U.S., where consumption climbs 3-4% annually, is a nice growth market.” In 2022, Peru shipped 241,182 tons of mango abroad. With 447,502 tons, Mexico leads the pack, but FOA data indicates that Peru is ahead of countries such as Brazil (231,874 tons) and India (171,748 tons).
Last year, Peru exported 2,600 containers of mangoes to overseas markets. That
is far fewer than the previous season’s 10,600 containers. “The average temperature from June to August was 19°C, while it needs to be 16°C during mangoes’ flow-
ering phase. Also, a fungal disease caused by high temperatures and humidity caused problems with fruit rot on arrival at destinations,” states César Morocho.
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“There are plant protection products that can mitigate those effects, but we can’t use them on crops destined for the EU.” He says the sector is facing this new season with some trepidation. “We must adapt our cultivation techniques. We must, for example, prune deeper, thus opening up the tree crown, which allows better crop ventilation. And if it stays hot, we’ll have to plant varieties that can
The rules and requirements destination countries and overseas buyers impose are significantly challenging for Peruvian growers and exporters. “Laws regarding packaging are becoming increasingly restrictive when it comes to plastic use,”
lap_freshplaza_185x132mm_en.pdf 2 6/9/24 13:00
says Juan Antonio Portugal of PromPerú. There is also immense pressure to obtain all kinds of certifications attesting to sound quality, labor, and environmental practices. The list is often longer than the usual certifications such as GlobalGAP, GRASP, SMETA, and BRC.
“For the American market, we have the Sustainably Grown certification,” says
Rejected bananas are sold to the industry or on the local market
Pampa Baja’s commercial director. “That’s very similar to the Rainforest Alliance. And because avocado crops use so much water, we’re Alliance for Water Stewardship certified, something very few Peruvian growers have.” Danper, in turn, focuses on social certifications like ISO 45001, NSF, and EDGE.
“The latter is the world’s top gender equality (Equity, Diversity, and Gender Equality) standard and evaluation method. In Peru, 40% of households are made up of single mothers. That’s appalling. Danper provides opportunities for women because we want to reverse the situation where children of single mothers have no educational opportunities,” a Danper representative says.
All the exporters interviewed agree that Europe generally has far stricter demands than the U.S. or Asia. They are all quite willing to meet destination market requirements and the need to present certain certificates, provided they get fair compensation for the products supplied. And that is the opinion where all the problems all too often lie.
ALSO BLUEBERRIES, ASPARAGUS, GINGER, ETC
This article tried to give an impression of how vital Peru’s fresh produce sector is to different export markets and that country’s economy, as revealed in Pieter’s many interviews with trade organizations, cooperatives, growers, and packing facilities’ managers. Out of necessity, the piece had to focus on a few products and certain aspects, But that only partially reflects the richer, more diverse Peruvian reality.
The article did not, for instance, cover the comprehensive, vital cultivation of blueberries, asparagus, artichokes, bell peppers, chilies, garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Nor could it shine the spotlight on many private companies’ diligence and dedication in providing small-scale growers and laborers with decent wages and better living conditions. Or their concern for the environment and resilience in adapting to changing market demands. That includes a timid start to adding value to production, even in Peru itself, by processing fresh fruits and vegetables into
frozen products, juices, sauces, and preserves.
The topic of how difficult finding enough workers is becoming, was not sufficiently highlighted either. Yes, even a country like Peru has these issues, as Micky Luzquinos of Pampa Baja’s words illustrate: “In Olmos, we prefer focusing on avocado cultivation. You need a lot of people to grow blueberries, and those are scarce in the country’s north. There, competing with other blueberry growers who already occupy most of the labor market is hard.” Who knows, these may become topics for another article, which would, of course, require another trip to this beautiful Andean country.
The new R&M building has been open since June 2023 on Peterselieweg in theDutch Fresh Port Rotterdam (Ridderkerk). R&M & Looije Packing have joined forces to support national and international suppliers of fruit and vegetables.
In the coldstores there is room for 10.000 pallet positions, so the building is perfect for processing all kind of orders, from large to small. R&M is responsible for in - and outbound, stock management, cooling, customs, quality control and transshipment. Looije Packing is responsible for sorting the fruit and vegetables according to the quality policies and package them according to the customer's wishes, ranging from a large scale of repacking to packaging options. With two companies under one roof, we can act quickly and we can often process the orders on the same day, depending on the size.
By working closely with each other, we as companies know how to make optimal use of each other and what we are good at, namely the storage and packaging of fruit and vegetables. The strength of our collaboration is to operate as one team, to quickly coming up with a solution for the customer’s demands
Large storage capacity
(Re)packing vegetables and hard / soft fruit
Dutch Fresh Port Rotterdam
Ruben Bringsken, VIGEF
“The frozen fresh produce market is on the brink of a positive development with considerable growth potential”
Industrial fruit and vegetable processes could benefit from consumers’ recent search for cheaper fresh produce options. Data from Circana and GfK show that downtrading was the most notable trend in 2023. Consumers, especially young singles and two-income households bought more frozen produce.
“The frozen fruit and vegetable market is on the brink of a positive development with considerable growth potential. Especially in the organic, convenience, and special mixed fruit product - for
things like shakes - segments,” begins Ruben Bringsken, chairperson of VIGEF, the Dutch Vegetable and Fruit Processing Industry Association. The Netherlands’ frozen food sector, though, finds itself
in a global sales market that shows the strongest growth in the United States and Asia-Pacific regions.
“Frozen foods offer benefits to people, but, due to being perceived as fresh and convenient, fresh and canned products remain strong competitors. Frozen foods’ high storage and transportation energy requirements can be a barrier, especially in areas with expensive electricity or limited access to reliable refrigeration.”
Ruben points out that innovation, sustainability, and logistical efficiency are crucial for future success. Here, there can be collaboration with the fresh market residual streams. “Upgrading those can yield valuable products like using leftover fruits and vegetables for juices, smoothies, sauces, or purees. These can be sold frozen or canned,” he says.
In the past season, abundant rain and banning various crop protection products complicated cultivation. That, in turn, led to challenges for processors. “Our campaign companies suffer when a wet spring delays sowing. Vegetable processing capacity is limited and not easy to scale up. Many of our products are harvested and processed within hours, often locally, to optimally preserve their nutritional value.”
Regarding cultivation, VIGEF works extensively with and within Stichting Teelt Overleg Groenten, where industrial vegetable growers and processors collaborate to grow different crops. They also
jointly set up (public-private) research projects. VIGEF and other chain parties lobby the government and European institutions for realistic, workable regulations around crop protection products.
“Climate change, laws, and regulationswhich often don’t consider the practical implications - mean it’s becoming noticeably increasingly difficult for growers to cultivate the required crops, volume and quality-wise. VIGEF wants to keep working hard to retain both the cultivation and processing of legumes and vegetables in the Netherlands,” Ruben says.
PARALLELS
The challenges the industrial fresh produce sector faces show considerable parallels with those of the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. They involve cultivation, energy, labor, and the global dynamics, where this sector must maintain its position. “We experience challenges both on the cultivation side and the food industry at large. Our members must support fruit and vegetable cultivation developments
to enable the production of those products which our members process.”
“There are, of course, extreme weather conditions, with very wet as well as dry periods. Improving soil and water quality and plant protection products usage, though, also requires our attention. Sustainability in agriculture is, thus, essential for our members,” Ruben explains. Another challenge is labor, both in cultivation and processing. “The sector often faces a shortage of good labor at all levels, but especially seasonal workers who are indispensable during peak periods.”
For processors, energy has become hugely challenging, too, not just because it is more expensive but also because supply certainty is not guaranteed anymore. “Electricity is no longer a given, and grid congestion is becoming an issue for our members. Saving energy and finding different source combinations is, thus, paramount. Also, our members are focused on efficient water use because we’re aware that that resource, too, could be in short
supply in the future. Food safety, obviously, remains vital, and we don’t want regulatory pressure on companies to limit their competitiveness. Our members operate in a dynamic market and deal with chain partners daily, both upstream and downstream,” says Bringsken.
Then, there is the issue of Dutch processors’ place in a globalized market. Competition, especially from Eastern Europe, is placing that position under pressure. “Europe certainly doesn’t have a ‘level playing field’ where that’s concerned. Local producers must compete with cheaper imports. Laws and regulations in various cultivation and processing areas differ vastly within Europe.”
“Stringent sustainability, food safety, and traceability demands mean companies must continually invest in compliance and quality assurance. Yet, complying with various certifications and standards is becoming increasingly complex, and even the certifying bodies don’t have the capacity, in terms of both content and workforce, to complete audits on time,” Ruben knows.
PRE-COMPETITIVE
VIGEF is, thus, joining forces and deliberately seeking industry cooperation. That is possible because the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets is allowing more and more collaboration regarding sustainability. “We’re working with our sustainability committee and The Netherlands Enterprise Agency to organize several webinars. In these, we focus on sharing knowledge about the sustainability of pre-competitive processes for our members.”
“For example, using residual heat in processes and dealing with grid congestion,” Ruben continues. VIGEF also cooperates at the European level within PROFEL, the European umbrella organization for the fruit and vegetable processing industry. “We deal with plenty of European-wide legislation, and the European Food Safety Authority is important when it comes to, say, food safety.”
Last year, VIGEF joined the Dutch agricultural organization BO Akkerbouw. “There we’re, for instance, helping devise a plan of action for the Eighth Action Program Nitrate
Directive. Different arable parties amalgamate their interests to take a proactive step toward ensuring improvements in agricultural practice,” Ruben elaborates.
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
On the marketing side, VIGEF-affiliated companies work on market development and promotions in various formations. They set up marketing campaigns to encourage people to eat legumes, fruit, and vegetables. “Working together on marketing campaigns to highlight the benefits of fresh, frozen, and canned products can make the public aware of their options and help them make better
choices. We not only contribute to consumer health but also to a positive image for our members’ products.”
AS NUTRITIOUS AS FRESH
Health and price play a significant role in consumer awareness and are critical factors affecting VIGEF strategies. This association wants to make it as easy and delicious as possible for people to serve fruits and vegetables. By focusing on product development, consumer education, efficiency improvements, sustainable practices, and innovation, VIGEF helps the industry respond to changing consumer demands and economic conditions.
“That helps us offer healthy, affordable processed fruit and vegetable products that meet modern consumers’ wants and needs. Our products are crucial to a healthy diet. Vegetables can be freshly
processed in jars, cans, cartons, or frozen. These seasonal products can help people reach that 250 grams of vegetables per day in an easy, healthy, varied way. According to the nutrition center, there’s
the same amount of nutrients in fresh vegetables as in cans, jars, cartons, or frozen goods,” the VIGEF chairperson says.
Introducing 0% VAT on fruit and vegetables is in line with this. “We think that should be introduced quickly. Contrary to popular belief, canned, jarred, and frozen vegetables contain no added preservatives, and the vast majority of our vegetables have no added sugar. Also, salt levels have dropped by 30% since 2012. VIGEF, therefore, advocates making no distinction. Freshly processed, preserved, canned, and frozen fruits and vegetables must be added to the zero percent tariff. These products have no added sugar and only, in a few cases, a minimal amount of salt. Canned or jarred summer vegetables, for example, contain an average of only 0.3% salt. Amd introducing the VAT measure as widely as possible will encourage people to eat more fruits and vegetables,” Ruben concludes.
info@vigef.nl
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David
Markowski, The Greenery:
“It’s vital that growers and clients understand that we’re for, and by, growers”
In November 2023, David Markowski (37) took over as CEO of The Greenery from Steven Martina. Markowski has been with this Dutch company for nearly five years in various executive roles and was jointly responsible for the long-term Focus 2025 strategy. He recently merged almost all sales activities into one organization. Here, an extensive interview with David, a visionary and doer who believes sustainability should be fun but, at times, uncomfortable, too.
Why did the Supervisory Board choose you as CEO? And, how would you describe yourself?
You should actually ask them. I think my focus on clarity, directness, and transparency played a role. I helped develop the Focus 2025 vision and understand the importance of proper implementation. I know the company and sector well and have experience implementing such plans. I’m also people-oriented, which probably strengthened the SB’s trust. Though I never specifically wanted to become CEO, I enjoy having ultimate responsibility.
That direct language does not sound very cooperative...
You’re right. Cooperative language is often considered slow and indirect. I prefer a direct, rapid approach, as long as it’s within reason. You can make decisions with 70% of the information. Waiting for perfection takes too much time and energy. I try to manage our organization accordingly.
Can you reflect on 2023’s annual figures?
With revenues of €872 million and a net result of €20,9 million, The Greenery had a good year, financially. Strategically, though, it was challenging. The entire fresh produce chain faces challenges like rising energy and labor costs and a shifting balance of power to the demand side. The changing weather conditions also make it increasingly difficult to grow consistent quality products. Plus, laws and regulations around sustainabilityhowever necessary - have put pressure on our members.
Fiscally, as mentioned, it was a good year. It’s important to mention that The Greenery doesn’t profit from selling its mem-
bers’ products. We earn on other activities, such as purchasing, imports, and logistics. The positive results from those activities and our associates contribute to our members’ results. We managed to pay a profit distribution of €4.5 million to our members for the fourth time in a row. We’re proud of that.
Do you consider participation shares being so large compared to trade results healthy?
I’m happy with our participation, but keeping it in perspective is essential. Only a small portion of our business is for-profit, i.e., result-orientated, so it seems unbalanced. But selling a single member’s tomatoes doesn’t reflect an operating profit. That result comes from the other activities and participations. Another crucial nuance is that cash dividends are a minimal part of the result. For example, the Euro Pool Systems (EPS) result isn’t distributed as cash but largely as book profit. We can invest that portion of the result we receive in innovations, digitalization, and personnel.
Are you able to retain and attract growers?
Due to consolidation and the various reasons for quitting, keeping and attracting growers is always challenging. We offer an attractive proposition. We pay out growers within a fortnight, invest in exclusive varieties, and implement cost improvements. I’d also dare say we have very competitive payout prices. Plus, participation profit distribution is obviously attractive. Also, growers can invest with The Greenery through SIG&F, the former GMO, in areas such as sustainability and automation, We have a wide range of sales channels and a broad, diverse European customer base, too. All that lets us retain and attract growers.
What motivated your company to participate in the SIG&F scheme again? The SIG&F scheme enables us to invest in sustainable and technological improvements for our growers, strengthening our producer organization and market position. We want to use the subsidy to take advantage of opportunities in sustainability, energy savings, robotization, market development, scaling up, variety development, and crop protection.
Are you considering overseas growers?
Though we focus on Dutch cultivation, we’re open to working with overseas growers, especially for exclusive varieties like Inspire strawberries. We strive for a balanced approach that utilizes local as well as international opportunities.
What is your company’s response to retail’s growing market power?
The Greenery wants to offer its clients added value. That’s primarily the availability and supply of high-quality fruit and vegetables and a package of customized services. These range from logistics services and packaging to quality, category support, and marketing, all at the lowest possible cost. This keeps us relevant to customers, and we strive for close cooperation.
European retail has aggregated its purchasing more. To rebalance these relationships, consolidation is undoubtedly needed. You can do that through vertical consolidation or via bypassing or integrating links, thereby removing them. We’re aware of this trend and are having broad, active discussions with parties that fit our growers and us. There will be consolidation on the supply side and as a source representative, we’ll always hold a position.
How hard did Jumbo’s rejection of the arranged The Greenhouse procurement model hit?
We always kept the goal of wanting good outlets for our growers and maintaining a nice, positive relationship with one of the Netherlands’ big retailers in mind. We’re a Dutch marketing cooperative with Dutch products we want to have on Dutch shelves for the most part. Thus, we jump at the chance to take advantage of positive opportunities that were and are available. That resulted in a multi-year cooperation in a different form. We’re proud of that.
Why did you get rid of your overseas branches and DC in Breda, the Netherlands?
The DC ran well operationally for strawberries, asparagus, and rhubarb. However, the trend of off-field loading reduced the volumes needed to continue. We therefore transferred the operations to our other great location in Barendrecht. We still control the chain but operate cost-effectively.
Regarding our overseas branches, such as Italy, France, and Spain, it was crucial to
consider our activities and markets critically. We still had a two-year contract in France but with limited strategic value. In Spain, we operated under a local brand name with local produce and a local team, and focus on The Greenery’s core product was lacking. Our Focus 2025 strategy hones in on the markets where we can add the most value, like the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy. Our centralized commercial team continues serving buyers in those countries.
By simplifying and streamlining the organization, we’ve ensured we can serve our customers from a single product inventory and commercial strategy. Our subsidiaries, like JH Wagenaar and E. van den Berg, keep specializing in staple products and the Swiss market, respectively, and report to commercial director Willem-Jan Boelema. We’ve also decided to terminate our The Greenery Overseas and Blue Sky Cargo overseas operations. They no longer fit within our strategy. That allows us to focus more on our people and resources to operate more effectively within the defined markets.
Why does your company have a relatively small German market share?
We want to consistently achieve the best returns for our growers. To do that, we serve a broad European client base. The German market is sizable and to succeed in it, you must send a lot of your product flow there. We believe we can realize better returns by distributing our products across multiple markets.
How important are new and online retailers for your sales?
New and online retailers are essential to our strategy. Partnering with companies like HelloFresh helps us to stay innovative and diversify our product offerings. HelloFresh shares our vision of seasonal, local products, which lets us reach a broader market and grow geographically as they expand. This kind of collaboration means we can take a different approach to the fresh food chain and offer our products to a wider audience.
How does the recent reorganization look?
Our chain is constantly changing, which means we—like many other organizations—must keep moving with those
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changes. That will continue in the coming years. Our future focus is maximizing value creation for our members, striving for the highest payout price. To achieve that, we recently adjusted our sales organization. With one sales team and a clear mission, we put our growers emphatically at the center of our organization.
An adjusted working method allows us to ensure greater efficiency and, thus, lower costs. Plus, we’re going to work from an S&OP approach that lets us realize a better supply/demand match. Investing in digitization and data-driven work means we need fewer people to make decisions. These changes have resulted in several positions being eliminated. Though unpleasant, it was necessary. Some people preferred not to go along with the transformation we initiated.
How important is sustainability for your company?
Sustainability is crucial to our members and us, and we’ve made great strides. We’ve developed a clear vision and work within the Federation of Fruit Vegetable Organizations (FVO) on a common sustainability agenda. We can, thus, invest
more effectively and not compete but work together on sustainability. However, there’s still no uniform European sustainability policy. That leads to different reporting requirements for retailers in different countries, which creates an administrative burden. Nevertheless, we’re determined to work through this and achieve our sustainability goals.
What does the future hold for Dutch greenhouse horticulture?
Greenhouse farming is one of the Netherlands’ most efficient sectors and is significant in the global food supply. Despite some populist views, I believe Dutch greenhouse horticulture will continue to exist because of our productivity and infrastructure. Innovation remains essential and we keep investing in sustainable technologies and methods to meet the growing demand for efficient, environmentally friendly cultivation.
What part do import goods play in The Greenery?
Our exotics division remains a vital part of our organization. However, with imported products, we’re making risk/ return choices. Our main activity is mar-
keting our own crops, so we feel we cannot take huge risks on imported goods. We’ve opted for a slimmed-down portfolio where we can run a healthy, profitable business with colleagues who are true experts in their fields - think Elena Rogojnikova, Wilfred Heijstek, and Sjaak van der Meij - and we’ll undoubtedly retain them.
How is The Greenery Logistics doing?
To answer that, some context is needed. The shortest route, directly from the field to the customer, is the most logical approach. Goods such as Dutch full soil produce and top fruit hardly reach our warehouse anymore, and we’ve adjusted our logistics infrastructure accordingly. We’ve taken strategic decisions, like closing our distribution center and increasing efficiency in Barendrecht. Our RDC also increasingly handles third-party import volumes. These are seasonal flows. Flexibility, thus, remains essential to our logistics operation. The other logistics activities, such as Hollander, Fustloods, and Dijco fresh distribution, are stable and running smoothly.
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What is the status of the container transport pilot by water?
We’ve decided to no longer participate in that. Our import streams are too limited. Container transport by water can offer advantages, but you must have a clear vision and sufficient volume to make it profitable. Our volumes are too small to continue with the pilot.
How do AI, robotization, and digitalization factor into The Greenery? Digitalization and AI are paramount to chain efficiency. We use AI for things like planning models and price predictions and robots for repetitive tasks. In the future, we’ll increasingly rely on that. We have internal and external experts helping us develop and implement these technologies.
Where does your personal commitment lie?
Our mission is to make fruit and vegetables accessible to everyone. I think, as a chain, we can make even more strides in that. Given the challenges we’ve experienced, I’m perturbed by retail price cuts, especially when I consider what we, as
The Greenery, have gone through with our growers over the past six months. Then I think, ‘Can we have real conversations with each other?’
I find sustainability interesting, too, and believe in less talk and more action. We must accept that it’s a development process. That’s what I like about FVO. We jointly invest in the same sustainability agenda. That ensures you don’t compete but work together, which can sometimes be uncomfortable.
Challenges aside, I enjoy the daily puzzling things out with colleagues and growers, from experienced ones to young talent. We interact a lot with our growers. That carries over to meetings, too. ‘The grower at no. 1’ is an active choice we express. It’s important that both growers and customers understand: we’re here for and by the growers.
www.thegreenery.com
Storage, checking and handling of climatecontrolled fruit
With us your fruit is in good hands. From arrival at the port to collection from our storage; we offer your product the best possible treatment.
In our storage locations in Vlissingen and Kruiningen, the products are subjected to a quality check, after which they are stored and kept at the desired temperature until you want to transport the products further.
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Mail: info@wtg-logistics.nl www.wtg-logistics.nl
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