In Huelva there is a sharp decline in berry production. Strawberries are down 30 percent, while volumes of blueberries and raspberries have also declined.
Bad weather, rising input costs and new phytosanitary regulations will lead to a sharp decline in Huelva berry production this season.
Halfway through the campaign, the Freshuelva berry association estimates that volumes are 30 percent lower than the same period last year. According to the association, production will barely recover in the remaining period of the campaign.
Freshuelva director Rafael Domínguez described the current situation as "very difficult" due to many coinciding factors causing uncertainty. He cited rising input costs, the enactment of new phytosanitary regulations and bad weather as the main reasons for the decline.
Excessive heat during October planting forced growers to replant 20 percent of the plants. This was followed by an excessive cold spell in January and February, which caused a significant drop in production and a low supply of strawberries on the market.
Domínguez also noted that limits on the amount of water allowed for irrigation-due to low rainfall-are hampering growers.
Freshuelva also predicts a 25 percent drop in production of blueberries, mainly due to the delayed arrival of low temperatures that did not allow sufficient cold hours to accumulate over the winter. The association also noted that the cold wave in the last weeks of February and early March reduced gauges.
Freshuelva said the reduction in water currently available for irrigation will also impact crop development. "We are talking about low quality water, with high salt concentration skyrocketing in some areas, up to three times that concentration," he said.
Freshuelva said that, as far as raspberries are concerned, growers are pinning all their hopes on a positive spring campaign, as the fall campaign yielded negative results due to strong competition from countries such as Morocco.
Source:Fruitnet
Fruitnet is part of the NCX Media network.
