Two important projects in stone fruit represent the new challenges for the future of the company from Murcia.
Although it is known as being one of the broccoli-producing giants, for over 10 years the company has had its own fruit tree plantations, a line that it will promote over the next few years.
The most outstanding fruit orchards are for cherries, which are located in three different production areas: in Mequinenza (Zaragoza), the mountainous area of Alicante, and the Jumilla area. With these three areas, the company covers a 16 week calendar. To prepare this fruit, it has two establishments, one recently acquired centre in Fraga, and another in Jumilla, through its alliance with Frutas Toli.
The second project is focused on a modern variety conversion for peaches, nectarines and flat peaches. All of this without forgetting its apricots.
The production areas where this conversion is being encouraged will be Campo de Cartagena and the high lands. And one of the categories that is to be strengthened is the yellow peach. “The curious aspect of the case is that there was a time when this variety was being grubbed out and now we have revalued it, particularly on the national market, where we intend to strengthen our presence through the new alliance with Eurobanan for this and other produce,” explains Carlos Domenech, manager of Agromark.
The overall stone fruit volume in this campaign will reach around eight million kilos, including cherries.
Agromark, one of the most important broccoli operators in Europe, guarantees that “producing stone fruit is a very different to vegetable growing, since the financial risk is important and it will take four years to know whether it is profitable or not. It has nothing to do with vegetable production, but in Murcia we must look for alternatives and we are in the middle of a relocation process due to the water problem, which, additionally, is criminalising the agricultural sector.”
A whirlwind of change and innovation
Currently, Agromark handles 2,000 hectares of production and it has 1,000 workers. The company’s new approach means, amongst other things, having manpower all over Spain. “It is complete madness, but the dynamism of the sector is such that you cannot stop.”
And within this whirlwind of change, Agromark has decided to play hard, planning a comprehensive concept from production to distribution, in order to be more competitive, “and of course, all of this is accompanied by state-of-the-art technology,” the executive concludes.
