The winter tomato season is now in its halfway point since it started in November and will last until the end of April.
"At the moment, we are already planning the second half of the season, after a first half without any major ups and downs in terms of sales, although we have recorded weaker demand than usual. We have had a good Christmas season, but not a particularly strong one," says David Franco, Sales Director of the Murcian company Grupo Paloma.
© Joel Pitarch | HortiDaily.com
In terms of production, November and December have been challenging months. "We've had the coldest December in years. In fact, surprisingly, there have been more hours of cold weather in coastal areas of Murcia, such as Águilas and Mazarrón, than in the inland, and rainfall has taken a toll on the harvest. However, this has also brought the supply and demand into greater balance."
In spite of everything, David Franco says that, "unlike other years, service has remained uninterrupted and the quality has generally been good. There have been products, such as pears and vine tomatoes, with a more stable supply, and others, such as cherry tomatoes, with a more limited supply at certain times due to the impact of the weather. Now, we are facing the coming months with relative optimism, expecting more stable weather, healthy crops, and volumes in line with our programs, as well as an upturn in demand."
Regarding the progress made in keeping the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) under control, David is highly optimistic. "This virus has undoubtedly been one of the biggest challenges for tomato production in the last four or five years. After years of development, we now have commercial varieties with proven resistance. 100% of our varieties are resistant to ToBRFV and show not only good agronomic performance in terms of yield, but also organoleptically, with even higher quality standards. Working together with breeders, we have gone through 3 years of transition to obtain these varieties. I think we have done a good job," he says.
Morocco's competition is growing stronger every year, while supply from other third countries, such as Turkey, is gaining ground. Moreover, large European growers are looking to extend their seasons.
"In Europe, tomatoes aren't like lettuce or broccoli, which for a few months are only produced in the southeast of Spain. Competition in the tomato market is increasing, and we have to keep working on developing a solid production strategy to keep our place in the market. Spain has the capacity to compete in terms of service capacity and quality, backed up by a good volume."
"We also continue to work hard to extend our season from mid-April, pushing our clients to extend their campaigns with us until the end of May, which means overlapping with Dutch production, as well as that of other European countries. To achieve this, things have to be done right, and stability can really help you. At Grupo Paloma, we have invested heavily in high-tech greenhouses, and many hectares are already equipped with heating."
For more information:
David Franco
Grupo Paloma
Tel.: +34 968590001
[email protected]
www.gpaloma.com
