Since its beginnings in 1976, Agroejido has remained one of the leading marketing businesses at origin auctions in the Spanish province of Almeria. Today, the company, which complements this model with classic marketing, has three auction centers in El Ejido, Berja and Dalías, where products from the west of the province arrive either directly or through various collection points spread throughout the west of Almeria. The idea is to make it easier for producers to deliver their products.
"The auction model has been truly successful in Almeria," said Paco Gomez, manager of Agroejido, while the operators of El Ejido's facilities were dispatching the lots that had been sold that same morning. "This marketing model has been in place since before the 1970's. Prices are set based on quality in a 'Dutch-style' method: you start with the best category at the best price, and work your way down. The transactions faithfully reflect the daily supply and demand of the different fruit and vegetable products, taking into account factors such as the market situation, or those that can affect the production, such as the weather."
"We work with all of Almeria's products: zucchini, eggplant, green beans, cucumbers (recording yearly growth with the Spanish, French, and Almeria types), and peppers, which are our specialty, and of which we are marketing all varieties: bell peppers, Lamuyo, Italian and Palermo."
"This season, peppers have been going through a somewhat convulsive period. The intense heat in July and August, when peppers are planted in the greenhouses, affected the flowering, so the volumes have generally been low and the quality of the first peppers has not been good. However, as the temperatures improved, this situation has been overcome and prices, right now, remain at a good level."
"At this time, bell pepper prices stand above 1 Euro per kilo for all colors; between 1.10 and 1.21 Euro for green, between 1.07 and 1.15 Euro for yellow, and between 1.48 and 1.57 for red. The price of the red Lamuyo stands at 1.79 Euro per kilo in the auction, the Italian ranges between 1.00 and 1.17 Euro, and the Palermo has reached 2.58 Euro per kilo."
"These are not bad prices, but we cannot forget that the heat at the beginning of the season caused producers to lose some volumes," said Paco, "so let's hope that their volumes can recover between now and April/May, when the season in Almeria will come to an end so that the season's balance can be positive."
Other products have also recorded interesting prices. French and Spanish cucumbers have stood at around 1 Euro, and the Almeria type has risen to 83 cents. Thin zucchini has also come close to 1 Euro, with a maximum price of 96 cents, while the thick has ranged between 0.74 and 0.84 Euro per kilo. Eggplant, still lagging behind after having been subject to the extension of standard, has remained between 0.67 and 0.71 Euro, scoring the lowest prices at the auction. Meanwhile, snow peas, while only available in small quantities, reached 8.71 Euro per kilo.
“The prices are not bad now, and they will probably only get better from now on with the arrival of the cold this week,” said Paco Gómez.
For more information:
Agroejido
C/ La Parra, 53
04700 El Ejido, Almeria. Spain
Tel.: +34 950 48 91 05
info@agroejido.com
www.agroejido.com