Despite weather challenges affecting production volumes, Freshuelva says the berry sector demonstrated commercial strength with increased export values for most categories, particularly blueberries which saw a 24 per cent rise
Industry association Freshuelva has offered a review of its 2024/25 strawberry campaign, reporting on total production of 210,345 tonnes, a 5 per cent decrease compared to the previous season.
According to the association, the decline was due to climatic and production factors that marked an “uneven campaign”, albeit with a positive performance in export markets.
Excessive rainfall caused damage, particularly to the earliest varieties, as it coincided with their ripening phase.
On the other hand, strawberry demand was described as ”very stable” throughout the campaign, with the fruit ”very well appreciated in the markets”, thanks in part to varietal diversification.
Prices remained very similar to those of the previous campaign, Freshuelva confirmed.
In the raspberry category, production fell by 6.5 per cent to 37,660 tonnes, while blackberries dropped 11 per cent year-on-year to 1,890 tonnes.
Blueberries, by contrast, experienced an 8 per cent increase in volume to 63,150 tonnes.
This growth was due, in part, to the entry into production of new plantings and the lengthening of the harvest schedule thanks to early and late varieties.
In terms of exports, the sector increased the overall value of foreign sales, blueberries being the most notable with a 24 per cent rise to €350.8mn.
Strawberry export value grew 9.5 per cent compared to the previous year, bringing in €699.3mn.
For raspberries, exports remained virtually stable, with a slight decrease of 0.5 per cent and a total value of €229.6mn.
Freshuelva said that Blackberry exports, meanwhile, reversed last year’s trend and grew by 10.5 per cent, reaching €18.3mn.
By country, Germany and the UK continued to be the main destinations for Huelva’s berries.
For blueberries, the Netherlands consolidated its position as the third most important market, while for strawberries and raspberries, France maintained its third position.
Freshuelva said it believed that, despite widespread declines in the production of some crops, the campaign demonstrated the commercial strength and adaptability of the sector, which ”continued to focus on varietal innovation, market diversification, and compliance with the highest standards of quality and food safety”.
