Globally, the AF Group closed the 2023 campaign reaching almost 70 million euros. The company has boosted its activity, which concentrates, on the one hand, on the production and marketing of fresh produce from Axarfruitand, on the other, on the processing of its fresh produce within the fresh cut and ready-cooked division with its subsidiary, Freshfy. Through this second line, they are trying to turn the world of processed avocado upside down, looking for a “differentiating point.”
“Our latest launch, avocado salsa with goat cheese spread is going very well, mainly in northern Spain. We are very satisfied,” the Manager, Álvaro Martínez, affirms.
The fresh produce campaign is seeing a less positive evolution. “It could be said that, generally, the mango campaign has been virtually non-existent. There has been between 70-80% less fruit. A disaster. Although the quality has been very good, the lack of volume has been incredible.”
In the case of avocados, he comments that, in terms of quality, the campaign is being “quite good”, but with a reduction in volume in southern Spain that has been added to last year’s (-50%). “In our case, we have members outside la Axarquía that partially make up for this decrease.”
In this context, marked by the drought, inflation and the general increase of costs, many producers have been forced to abandon their farms. “The situation is complicated. We are moving to other regions where there is more water availability and opting more for the marketing part, which is safer than having our own farms. La Axarquía is dry. It is producing less and less per hectare all the time, and the costs are higher. If the situation continues like this, in addition to abandoning the fields owing to not being able to grow, they will be left behind because they are simply not profitable.”
The Manager of Axarfruit recalls that other countries such as Israel, with a drought that is greater than Spain’s, started up the necessary water infrastructures years ago. “The Spanish sector must get ready. Webring together better conditions than other sources, but we continue having water problems and nobody is doing anything. We need resources; there is a potential to double the number of hectares. In Axarquía, with the sea opposite and reservoirs around us, what we need is willingness by the Public Administration.”
