The company specialising in tomatoes, Coprohníjar is already working on the construction of a warehouse exclusively for this line of produce.
Coprohníjar closed last campaign with 35 million kilos of tomato marketed amongst the different varieties it produces (70% of cherry and the remainder vine, pear, beefsteak tomatoes…), in addition to watermelons and courgettes, which have experienced a slight growth in production and sales. A year that the cooperative’s chairman, Juan Segura, qualifies as good, with prices in the autumn and winter that were “quite acceptable,” and they allowed a balancing act after the springtime drop in prices. Now, in this 2017/18 season, the company from Almeria continues its sustained growth with two ambitious challenges ahead of it: expanding in the ecological segment and moving into the tropical segment with its new line in papayas.
Regarding the ecological sector, Segura points out that they currently have 25 hectares in production (compared to the 435 of conventional crops), and at the end of 2018 they will add another 100 hectares of eco cropland, which is currently under conversion. Along with this increase in volumes is the construction of a new warehouse which will be used exclusively for organic produce and that will be ready in a few years’ time (it already has the necessary procedures underway). The installations, covering around 12,000 metres and attached to the company’s main site, include a handling area, cold storage rooms and offices.
In spite of the fact that in general, the offer is growing and the eco market niche is still very small, they trust that “we have enough demand to offload the produce, through Anecoop and Solagora.” However, the boom of companies entering this segment could unbalance the prices. “Regulating the offer would be the ideal way forward, but this would be very complicated,” the executive admits.
Regarding papayas, last year they carried out the first commercial trials and this year they are planning to continue with an innovative line. To find out more details about its offer, you can visit its stand at Fruit Attraction, located in Hall 9, 9G02.
