Leading Spanish fresh produce association Proexport has appealed to the Spanish government to take steps to ease the burden of rising electrical charges, which it claims could seriously jeopardise the prospects of Spanish exporters in the EU.

Proexport has written to Spain’s secretary for rural matters, Alicia Villauriz, to express its concern over a possible minimum increase of 30 per cent in electrical costs, which it says could have repercussions for Spanish fruit and vegetable exports.

The association’s appeal comes after members of Spain’s Senate voted to urge the country’s government to extend the current special electrical rates for the agricultural sector for a further two years, charges that are due to come to an end on 1 July.

Proexport’s appeal comes a week after horticultural producers from across Spain took part in a protest march in Madrid against escalating electrical charges and the rising price of fertilizer.

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