The cucumber export season is underway in Almeria and Granada with very good results and is expected to end a few weeks earlier than usual due to the advanced state of the crops. The unusual temperatures recorded until the first half of January have accelerated the ripening and caused the production to increase. Meanwhile, the demand remains high.
"Despite the fact that the production in January has been greater than we expected so far, the demand has stayed above the supply since the campaign started in autumn," says Fulgencio Spa, manager of the Granada company of the same name based in the town of Carchuna. "This translates into exceptional prices for this product during most of the season," he says. In fact, in week 2, prices rose by 7% and remained at averages of around €1.20 per kilo in the main auctions.
According to the producer and exporter, while the acreage has fallen slightly in Almeria compared to the 2021/2022 season, it has remained stable in Granada. "We already started the campaign in autumn with a very clean transition with the productions from central and northern Europe. The Netherlands finished earlier due to high temperatures. Moreover, this season there has been no overlap between Almeria and Granada, so there have hardly been any supply or production peaks," said Fulgencio Spa.
The cucumber volume marketed in January traditionally accounts for close to 15% of the total volume in the campaign, according to data from the Prices and Markets Observatory of the Government of Andalusia. In the first half of January, the volume marketed has exceeded the figures of the previous campaign by 5-10%. "We expect our cucumber campaign to end in about a month and a half, between two and three weeks earlier, due to the advanced state of the crops. The autumn has been very cloudy, and plants have also been more affected by aphids," said Fulgencio Spa.
Andalusian cucumbers clearly dominate the supply in the European market, complemented by some limited quantities of Greek and Moroccan ones.
For more information:
Fulgencio Spa S.L.
Avda. de las Palmeras,9
Carchuna-Motril, Granada. Spain
Tel.: +34 958623136
fulgencio@fsagro.com
www.fsagro.com