When it comes to plums, the Spanish region of Extremadura is in a more fortunate position than most. The Extremaduran climate produces high-quality fruit, with good weather starting early in the year,” says Manuel Rosa, owner of Explotaciones Agrícolas Rosa. “So while other sources are still on their first variety, we have moved onto our second, which is always better than the first. This means that we are always two weeks ahead of the market, and this puts us in a strong position.”
The sunlight hours in Extremadura are the longest in Europe, giving the fruit good sugar levels and an even colour. “This reduces the amount of chemicals that producers use on the crop to substitute the effects of the sun,” says Rosa. “Extremaduran producers use potassium rather than nitrogen, as we have the advantage of longer sun hours. Nitrogen shortens product shelf life, and can split the stone. But fewer chemicals are used on our plums so they must be better for you.”
The Badajoz province, part of the Extremaduran region in the west of Spain, is the country’s main production area for plums. There are two main production areas in Extremadura, known as Vegas Altas and Vegas Bajas by the Guadiana River.
Seville, Lerida and Murcia are also important growing areas, although these parts of Spain must also deal with ongoing water shortages. Producers in these areas have to use varieties that grow quickly, while Extremaduran plums are on the trees from mid-May to November, according to Miguel ángel Gómez of fruit exporters’ association Afruex. “The plums are on the trees longer in Extremadura than anywhere else in Spain,” he explains. “This extended production period produces a high quality crop. But what really differentiates plums from Extremadura from those grown in other Spanish regions is the hours of sunlight we have, as well as the quality and quantity of water here.” The Italian region of Emilia Romagna is the main competitor for the production of stonefruit.
The Spanish plum season begins in mid-May and will end with stored fruit in October. The varieties include Red Beauty in May, Pioneer, Black Beauty, Black Amber and Black Star in June and July, and Fortune and Villa Rosa in August.
Foods from Spain is embarking on its first promotional campaign for Extremadura’s plums in 2006. It will feature floor graphics and trolley advertisements in Tesco and Sainsbury’s throughout the peak supply period in July. “The Spanish plums were taken on very recently so we have not had time to co-ordinate on-pack promotions,” says Janine Gilson, assistant director of Foods from Spain. “But in-store offers will be considered as part of next year’s promotional activities.” The fruit is the fifth product to join the 2006 integrated campaign, following Picota cherries and Superior Seedless grapes in June, and preceding persimmon and tomatoes from the Canary Islands, promotions for which will start in October and November.
Afruex, which has been promoting Extremaduran plums for 10 years, is working with Foods from Spain to promote the fruit. “The generic campaign with Foods from Spain is a first step for us,” says Gómez. “This is a way to grow exports to the UK.” Promotional pushes must be tailored to the UK in order to make an impact on consumers. “UK campaigns have to be different to projects in Spain or another country in Europe,” he adds.
Gomez says plums need to be differentiated from other stonefruit available in the UK. The market price of Spanish plums is dictated by the price of the stonefruit category, he claims. The cost of stonefruit was very low at the end of May, picking up only at the start of June, as a result of oversupply. “The price of peaches and nectarines is related to the price of plums, and when one drops, so does the other,” he explains. “But we want people to realise that plums are a completely different fruit.”
Extremaduran producers and suppliers strive to stay ahead in a competitive market by working to develop new plum varieties with on-going research and development programmes. Caval, a co-operative of 189 growers that produces more plums than any other organisation in the region, has launched a research project into 48,000 potential varieties of stonefruit with the agricultural research institute IRTA, with 20 per cent of the research concentrated on plums.
Traceability is also high on the agenda for Extremaduran suppliers. “Our customers can search for information about each product using the barcodes on plum cartons,” says Gómez. Notes on when the product was picked and packed, and where it was grown, can be searched online. This system also gives customers access to information including the floor plan of plantations, the size of the fruit, the pesticides and fertilisers that were used on each product, and details about despatch and delivery.
Plum production in Extremadura is down 60 per cent on 2005, weighing in at 40,000 tonnes. “There was a bumper crop last year which means that the drop in production is more noticeable,” says Gómez. “The main reason for the dip is that rain during the pollination season prevented the fruit from setting, as the pollen was washed away. All the varieties are flowering together this year which is very unusual.” But there will not be shortages of Spanish plums this year as there are enough mid-season varieties to cover the market, says Rosa.
Exports from the region have grown rapidly in recent years, and production has averaged an annual increase of 22 per cent. A total of 80 per cent of the stone fruit produced in the Extremadura region is exported. The main markets for Spanish plums are the UK, closely followed by Germany and the rest of Europe. Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer all stock Spanish plums at some time in the season.
The UK market for Spanish plums is growing every year, and demand is rising for quality plums from Extremadura. “The UK market for stonefruit is increasing by three to four thousand tonnes a season,” says Rosa. “UK consumers eat a lot of plums.”
But the UK is one of the most demanding markets, with strict supermarket specifications based on appearance and taste. “This is good for us because the quality of Extremaduran plums is of the highest standard,” says Rosa. “But 100 per cent colour can be hard to achieve, and good fruit is often rejected because it doesn’t look perfect. European markets accept fruit that is half red and half yellow, or a little larger than usual. But UK consumers are not used to seeing these variations, and the British market continues to reject any fruit that does not meet its tight specifications.”
UK supermarkets will not accept the larger plums that are sold on the domestic market and exported to Portugal, France and Italy, nor will they import yellow plums, which are sold widely across Europe and the rest of the world. “UK retailers want small sized fruit, and this makes sense to me,” says Rosa. “Eating small fruit means that you can try different types, and have a little of everything.” There is a market for mixed punnets, and packs made up of Spanish plums and other stonefruit are put together on order in the UK. “Black plums have the biggest market in the UK,” says Rosa. “But they must have a minimum of 10 per cent sugars and an even colour to be acceptable. The skin of the plums must be 100 per cent perfect.”
Explotaciones Agrícolas Rosa produces stonefruit on 360 hectares, supplying mainly to Tesco on a daily basis, with some product delivered to Somerfield stores as well. The plums are packed early so that they can ripen as they are transported, or in the fruit bowl. “The fruit takes two days to reach the UK market, and it can keep for between 20 days and one month in cold storage,” says Rosa. The fruit is picked early as it must reach the UK consumer when it is ripe or nearly ready to eat. “The Eat Me Keep Me idea is a very good one,” says Rosa. “This is the best way to buy a pack of plums and enjoy each one of them. Plums are very good for you, and should be part of a healthy diet. They are high in anti-oxidants and they help digestion, as well as being easy to eat. Our plums are perfect for the UK.”
No comments yet