"Moroccan strawberry growers are getting better every year"

"The season started early this year, perhaps too early; the first shipments, made in early December, foreshadowed an interesting campaign, because of the good quality and high prices, but the joy was short-lived," explains José Beltrán, manager of the exporter Hispalco.

According to the manager, the warm temperatures caused the production to accelerate in mid-December, and while the high humidity at origin affected the quality, the target markets had to deal with fruit in poor condition and low temperatures, which took a toll on consumption and resulted in ruinous prices.

"At this time, the market has recovered somewhat, although some 'unworthy' merchandise is still arriving, keeping consumption slow. It may seem hard to believe, but prices are somewhat better compared to the Christmas period," he affirms.

For José Beltrán, Morocco is a competitor to keep an eye on. "The Moroccan competition is raising concerns in Spain, as they keep doing things better every year, with the advantage of lower production costs and more favourable weather conditions than in Huelva," he points out.

"We don't know how the campaign will develop from now on, since everything will depend on the weather at origin and destination. We can only hope to be able to remain optimistic, given everything the sector has had to go through."