Hortyfruta, Andalusia's Fruit and Vegetable Inter-branch organization, has activated a legal provision that prohibits the marketing of class II long-type aubergines from Thursday, 3 November, because of the sharp fall in prices and consumer perception.
Based on a law that the Andalusian provincial government passed in July last year and which was consulted by Europa Press, only the Extra category and category I of greenhouse conventional and organic aubergines can be marketed.
The organization stated that it had made this decision after a "rigorous analysis" and because it is convinced that in the case of long aubergines, the minimum thresholds that influence the perception of the product among consumers, the farmer's profitability, and the present and future viability of this activity, have been surpassed.
The agricultural organization Asaja has already warned that the prices at the origin of some products, such as long aubergine, have collapsed by up to 70 percent.
The Hortyfruta quality crisis committee met to study and discuss the current market situation before taking the decision to withdraw the class II long-type aubergines from the market. The standard provides for a 24-hour period to inform all industry members.
The aim is that only class Extra and class I long aubergines will be put on the market for fresh consumption. The obligation would apply to all Andalusian cultivation and trading companies.
Both the Inter-branch organization and the regional Ministry of Agriculture will monitor correct compliance with the rule in the coming days until the restriction is lifted again.