At Blancasol, the company from Murcia, they are calling for caution after the worst stone fruit campaign in history
The last three stone fruit campaigns, but particularly the last one, have meant important reassessments by the producer companies.
At Blancasol, for example, some of the few grubbing operations that they have carried out have turned into citrus fruit production, due to foresight, and other plots of land have been left fallow. “In other years when we grubbed trees, we already had the new plant ready. Now, due to the constant uncertainty of the markets and due to the importance that this campaign could have for the sector, we have left the land fallow,” explains José Luis Sánchez.
The company’s productions, divided up around different locations in the region, were not affected by the frosts in February, although the strong winds at the end of March did cause some outer damage to early nectarine plantations, which will be eliminated with fruit thinning operations.
Three years ago, Blancasol decided on a variety renewal on its farms, which alleviated the permanent water stress in the area and also meant the plantation of more modern varieties. “It was a question of getting a few years’ ahead of what we could see was coming.”
Regarding what could occur during this campaign, the executive states that “it is very risky to talk about end results, but it seems more likely that most of the offer in May, could coincide with the start of the demand by the large chains, which obviously could be highly advantageous to be able to avoid a situation like last year’s from occurring.”
The company manages around 2,200 hectares of land, between the region’s highlands down to San Javier. In stone fruit alone, it reaches around 12 million kilos, with apricots in first place. This is followed by around 3.5 million kilos of nectarines, another 2.5 million of flat peaches, 2 million of peaches, as well as a smaller amount of early plums.
Although traditionally the company was established for and about summer fruits, over a decade ago it opted for completing the work twelve months a year with three products: citrus fruit, stone fruit and grapes.
