ASAJA Almeria has presented its first forecasts for the 2024/2025 horticultural season, noting that the area devoted to greenhouse crops shows little variation over the previous year. However, producers have expanded the pepper and tomato cultivation cycles to achieve better prices in the market.
An estimated 12,675 hectares will be devoted to peppers, i.e. 1% more than in the previous season, with the California type prevailing, although the Palermo type continues to gain ground. Tomatoes remain the second most important crop with an estimated area of 8,700 hectares (-3%), and producers are planting more pear and loose varieties.
Cucumber continues to experience moderate growth with 6,230 hectares devoted to growing Almeria-type cucumbers. Zucchini has decreased by 6% over the last season and will be grown in 7,733 hectares due to the incidence of viruses in the past season. Aubergine is stable with an area of 2,290 hectares.
Adoración Blanque, president of ASAJA Almeria, stressed the need to adjust crop cycles to achieve better prices. "Advancing the pepper and tomato's cycles is key to maximizing profitability, but it also implies greater challenges in terms of pest management and prevention," she said.
Almeria producers make their decisions based on the results of the previous campaign. Despite the high production costs, expectations are positive. Producers, however, are cautious about phytosanitary risks. Incidences of viruses and pests have intensified the need for preventive measures.
Finally, it's worth recalling that last season was marked by a significant fall in prices during Christmas. This affected the crops' profitability, and generated uncertainty among producers, who had to adapt quickly to reduce losses.
However, producers have shown remarkable resilience. Despite the adversities, they managed to stabilize production and adjust cultivation strategies to anticipate market variations.
With the start of the campaign marked by strategic adjustments and a focus on prevention, producers in Almeria are preparing to face a new season with optimism and caution.