According to producers' association Freshuelva losses in the 2002-03 season amounted to e64,200 as rains left the season a washout during peak production from the end of March to early May. And 'unfair competition' from Morocco was also to blame, said the association's general manager Manuel Verdier.

In total, some 182,500tonnes of strawberries were produced for the fresh market and a further 54,510t for industry. Yields per hectare were down by 10 per cent according to the growers and earnings by 17.5 per cent. Area under production was some 7.5 per cent up on 2001-02.

The rainfall also meant that a greater percentage of the overall crop was destined for industry as quality was affected and the harvest hampered rendering quantities unsaleable on the fresh market.

This negative outcome for the season makes life all the harder for growers who have seen earnings fall over the past four years with the last three seasons all finishing in the red.

Smaller producers have been the hardest hit and Verdier warns that the sector is likely to become dominated by the large co-operatives in the future as they are better placed to bear debt.

However, various projects are underway in Huelva to help smaller growers direct more fruit to industry, for example as well as negotiations on new lines of credit, insurance and tax breaks.

Acreage is likely to decline to 6,000ha for the upcoming season from 7,120ha in 2002-03, according to Verdier, and an increasing number of growers are exploring the possibilities offered by raspberry and stone fruit production.

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