Unusually high temperatures that have persisted in Almeria province well into November are taking a toll on protected agriculture. The arrival of storm Claudia together with a polar air mass forecast for this week on the Iberian Peninsula is expected to shift the weather cycle and change conditions in the region.
The heat has created favorable conditions for pest development, particularly Thrips parvispinus, and has also accelerated crop growth. As a result, cooperatives are handling higher volumes of vegetables, which has pushed prices down.
The sharpest drop is seen in Almeria type cucumber, where the farm gate price fell by thirty seven percent in week forty five. California pepper and eggplant followed with decreases of seven percent and five percent, respectively. Prices for cucumber and zucchini remain below the average of the past four years, although green zucchini has seen a modest rebound with a thirteen percent increase this week.
Growers hope that lower temperatures will reverse the trend. The end of the Dutch season will free up space in cooperatives and make it easier for Almeria to supply European markets, which have recently been dealing with oversupply.
Tomato is following a slightly later cycle than other protected vegetables. Significant production in Almeria will not be reached until the end of November due to the delay in long cycle transplants carried out in early September. In week forty six, accumulated volume represents eight percent compared to the average of previous seasons, lower than usual. This situation has supported prices for round tomato which increased eleven percent, pear tomato which increased two percent and especially smooth tomato which jumped seventy six percent. Vine tomato, on the other hand, continues to fall. Prices dropped sixteen percent this week, landing at zero point eighty one euro per kilogram, half the value recorded two seasons ago and forty cents below last year.
Source: diariodealmeria.es
