Late rally fails to compensate for earlier losses sustained due to adverse weather
Huelvan strawberry exports are expected to show a decline this season. As the 2025/26 campaign winds down, a few farms are still producing limited volumes in a bid to compensate for the losses sustained during the early part of the season due to adverse weather.
The assessment is based on the latest monitoring report published by the Price and Market Observatory of the Regional Government of Andalusia. It shows that production rallied in weeks 19 and 20, registering an increase of 17 per cent on the year-earlier period. “This rebound is a clear sign of the deliberate extension of the season: producing more at the end to compensate for what was not harvested in the first months,” it said.
However, the late surge is unlikely to be enough to reverse the impact of accumulated losses from earlier in the campaign. March and April are the key months for the sector, typically accounting for around 65 per cent of all sales.
Between December 2025 and March 2026, strawberry exports fell by 38 per cent in volume and 25 per cent in value compared to the previous season.
“The monthly trend for EU exports, however, was similar to that of the previous season, suggesting that the problem was not so much with the market as with available supply,” the report noted.
While strawberries are nearing the end of their season, raspberries and blueberries are experiencing their peak production period. Both berries are at the height of their respective seasons, leading to increased supply in the market and putting downward pressure on prices, both at the source and at the destination.
In the case of blueberries, exports between December and March also saw declines: falling 20 per cent in volume and 8 per cent in value compared to the previous season.
