Event organised by Cajamar and Asoproa hears how producers can tap into growing European demand
Spain has the potential to boost its production and exports of tropical fruit to the European market as demand for these products continues to grow. This was the message at a recent event organised by the Cajamar Group and the Association of Avocado Producers (Asoproa) in Paiporta, Valencia to identify new growth opportunities for the sector.
The event heard how regions like Andalusia and the Valencian Community have the potential to develop a new generation of exotic fruits including dragon fruit, papaya, passion fruit, lychee, kumquat, and finger lime.
Spanish exports of tropical fruit have increased by 75 per cent in volume and 174 per cent in value in the ten years to 2024, fuelled by consumption growth across Europe. Spain leads the way in European production and is third-largest supplier of tropical fruits to the EU (after the Netherlands and Peru).
Today, Spain has 24,221ha of avocado production, 6,044 ha of mangoes, 2,547 ha of custard apples, and almost 2,000ha of loquat.
Virginia Pinillos, professor of fruit growing at the University of Almería, said the Andalusia and Valencia regions in particular had the potential to develop production of a range of exotics in their more temperate zones. She said the results of a three-year project, GoExotica, showed the main challenges facing producers were a lack of varieties adapted to Mediterranean soil and climatic conditions or to climate change (in the case of pitaya and passion fruit; the need to improve post-harvest performance and adapt transportation for export; a lack of investment in protections such as shade nets, plastic, or greenhouses; and how to adequately promote the nutritional properties of these fruits.
GoExotika and other projects such as EuroPapaya, PitaMed, and GoCarismed are helping to fine-tune production systems, irrigation, fertilisation, the timing of harvesting, and post-harvest handling of exotic fruits in Spain.
Local-for-local production of tropical and exotic fruit will be one of the themes of this year’s Fruitnet Tropicals Congress, which takes place in Antwerp on 24 and 25 June. The two-day conference and networking event brings together key players from across the industry to explore the latest market opportunities in the tropical fruit category. To see the full agenda and for details of how to register, click here.
