A glut in production caused by the unseasonably high autumn temperatures coupled with slower demand in European markets has caused a sharp drop in the price of Almerian vegetables.
Producer organisations COAG, Asaja and UPA said prices for tomatoes, courgettes, peppers and aubergines have all fallen below the cost of production in recent weeks as the warm weather has favoured local production in northern Europe, leading to a drop in demand for Spanish-grown vegetables.
“Plants are producing what they should across various months in just a few weeks and this is causing their early depletion,” Asaja president Francisco Vargas told Europa Press.
Andrés Góngora of COAG said growers were being forced to harvest ahead of schedule due to the high level of maturity of their crops.
Francisca Iglesias of UPA Almeria noted that while some producers have chosen to delay harvesting until the market improves, this is not a viable option as it results in a significant loss of quality.
According to the producer organisations, peppers were selling for €0.40/kg at auction, well below the €0.60/kg they cost to produce, while tomatoes and cucumbers were selling for €0.20 and €0.25/kg while production costs were double.
Growers are calling for producer organisations to implement crisis measures such as the withdrawal of product in order to avoid a further fall in prices.
The warm weather has also led to a high incidence of white fly and other pests. COAG is urging growers to visit their nearest office so that they can file a claim for the resulting damages and losses.
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