Editorial
Germany is resisting
The German economic motor is resisting the challenge of the crisis. The much-feared recession of the largest euro economy is, up to now, an assumption that has not become a reality.
Profile of the month
Silvia de Juanes, steely determination
Silvia de Juanes is 42 years old and she is the mother of two girls, Isabel and Carlota. She meets me at Atocha station with Germanic punctuality. From there we go to her house, in the ‘last street of Madrid’, very close to the German School, which her daughters attend.
LATEST NEWS
The bureaucratic rigmarole of the notorious ‘Plastic law’
Confusion abounds. The entry into force at the beginning of the year of the Royal Decree 1055/2022 on containers and container waste means a new challenge for the agrifood companies, at the same time as great uncertainty regarding profit and loss accounts.
The Tajo-Segura Water Transfer: no criteria for its reduction
At no point do the five sentences of the Supreme Court to which the Minister Ribera is appealing determine the exact amount of ecological flows for the Tajo.
The United Kingdom’s double invoice: crisis + Brexit
Since it came into force two years’ ago, Brexit has cost 5.5% of the country’s GDP. Added to this are the economic crisis as a result of the Ukraine invasion and the effects of the pandemic.
Agricultural production is collapsing
A combination of circumstances predicts the end of cheap food.
Second parts, obviously, can also be good
The second part of the European apple campaign could suffer less pressure than the first part, with the markets in a more favourable situation.
FRUIT LOGISTICA
“5 AL DÍA” is preparing for the General Assembly and the Professional Seminar
On the 2nd of March, the 25th General Assembly of “5 al día” Associates will be held in the Conference Hall of the Administrative Centre of Mercamadrid.
Artichokes from Murcia are on the right track
From almost disappearing two decades ago, artichoke production is experiencing a boom in the region of Murcia.
La Palma is celebrating its 50-year anniversary
The company is celebrating an unstoppable half a century at Fruit Logistica 2023.
Citrosol comes to the fair with its latest developments
The Valencian company will make its BIOCARE Range, along with the PlantSeal® covering, the Citrocide® Fresh-Cut system and its latest launch, CitroFy, available to the public.
Tribelli, flavour and 12-month supply
The most extensive portfolio of sweet conical peppers on the market adds new varieties with resistance to powdery mildew and allows a 12-month coverage, also with XL materials.
Top Seeds Ibérica extends its range
The seed company is preparing a worldwide portfolio that includes IR to ToBRFV and it continues to extend its offer in peppers, cucumbers, and now also in broccoli.
Sorma’s new vine tomato weighing machine
With this fast, high-performing machine the company provides a solution for automating set-weight tray filling, optimising production times and saving labour.
The third year promoting Envy apples
During the 2022/23 period, the communication about the sublimity of this apple is being closely accompanied by different actions aimed at the end consumers.
Proexport strengthens its lines in Berlin
According to Mariano Zapata, the organisation’s President, “this year our goal is to strengthen the market share held by agriculture from the Region of Murcia and south-eastern Spain in Europe, at the same time as extending sales to other markets outside Europe.”
Fruit Logistica: a sustainable, hi-tech world
FruitLogistica, the leading European trade fair in the world fruit and vegetable trade has returned to its regular date: the first week of February.
Finalists at the FLIA
This year, there is only one Spanish representative in the innovation awards organised by the German trade fair FruitLogistica.
Hispagroup: with the sights set on new markets
2022 has been a very active year for the company from Murcia
EnzaZaden: Quality with High Resistance to ToBRFV
The seed company is offering materials with high resistance to ToBRFV.
An investment group led by Everwood Capital has purchased Partida Logistics
The operation will speed up the company’s growth and transformation, which is a family-run logistics operator founded in 1923.
Induser expands its facilities
The Almería-based company starts 2023 with greater capacity to sustain the business growth of the last four years.
ecological
NaturaSì enters as a minority partner in Bioconsum
Bioconsum, the third operator in the specialised ecological sector in Spain, and NaturaSì, the largest Italian ecological food group are teaming up to consolidate a network of independent shops
Poblano peppers, the latest from Keops
The ecological production company from Almeria is adding a new speciality that is very popular amongst its clients from the large supermarket chains
The CAAE will certify exports to the United Kingdom
Producers of berries, fruit and vegetables in countries outside the European Union will be able to benefit from this measure. In this way, the organisation has become the only authorised Spanish control body.
Andalusia wants to bridge the important gap between production and consumption
The Andalusian Government is starting procedures for the draft bill of its Ecological Promotion Law to minimise the difference between eco production (29.7% of the total surface area) and consumption (2.3%)
“Domestic consumption must increase”
Spain is second in the European ranking of ecological producers; however, its consumption is not in line with the figures
Stability of bio in Italy
Italian bio generated 5,000 million euros in sales up to June 2022 and it exported produce for a value of 1,000 million euros, 53% more than in 2021
‘A good reason for a stand in Berlin
Campo de Lorca/Cricket is coming to FruitLogistica with an extensive offer that includes its Cricket BIO range, for which they have 100 hectares under reconversion
Koppert is launching ‘Biodiversity Packs’
These are batches containing refuge plants for biological pest control throughout the year, both inside greenhouses and in the open air.
More bio at Bejo
The seed company is working to adapt some of its star varieties to ecological crops.
berries
Cuna de Platero, unstoppable
The activity of the organisation from Moguer never ceases. Its new projects are based on both research and on the technological improvement of its fruit and vegetable preparation centre.
EmcoCal’s white strawberry
EmcoCal’s Florida Pearl variety is one of the most important new developments to be shown at FruitLogistica 2023. Its most unique characteristic is its white colour.
Planasa is testing Pink Rosita raspberries in the Netherlands
Planasa has carried out successful trials with Pink Rosita raspberries (Plapink 1304) in the Netherlands, thanks to their strategic alliance with the family-run company Berrybrothers.
“The economic situation of the European market favours third countries”
The loss of spending power in Europe, where inflation is on average around 10%, is speeding up fruit purchasing from third countries
Huelva berry statistics
The official report by the Andalusian Government at the start of the campaign points out that the surface area of strawberry crops has remained stable for many years now.
citrus fruits
Europe is buying less citrus fruit
The current economic situation in Europe has resulted in a flat, tight consumption rate, for virtually all product categories, in both fruit and vegetables.
Orri mandarins: the show goes on
The 2022-23 has started and Orri is back on the shelves in supermarkets and retailers, with great expectations.
Aimplas’ project will lengthen the shelf life of citrus fruit
The Instituto Tecnológico del Plástico (Aimplas) along with another 13 associates are working on the BiOrangePack project.
Tomra’s sorting and grading solutions
Citrus packhouses are striving to meet evermore demanding quality expectations, yet must also increase quantities and improve yields.
tropical fruits
The avocado genome, completed
A group of scientists from the University of Queensland (Australia) has completed 98% of the Hass avocado genome
In the Valencian Community, Maluma has cornered 50% of the market
Back in 2010, the company Viveros Blanco brought the first avocado’s parent trees for their distribution, both in Europe and in Morocco.
Natural Tropic is growing, both in metres and business
The company, with head offices in Vélez-Málaga, wants to extend the surface area of its premises from the current 8,000 m² to 12,000 m², continuing with its expansion plan that will be concluded in 2025.
Avocado: inflation and an ever-changing evolution
The increase in costs and scarcity of produce worldwide are causing great uncertainty in this campaign. This year, Trops will have over 50% less avocado.
Alcoaxarquía is expanding
The group has created a subsidiary in the Valencian Community, in 2022 it opened some new installations in Peru, and it has achieved a market share in the US and in Asia.
Reyes Gutiérrez lands in Berlin
The company from Malaga continues to back FruitLogistica as a meeting point with its clients. Extending its own surface area is just one of its projects.
Nothing is slowing avocados down
In 2030, world avocado production will reach 12 million tonnes and demand continues to rise. The great challenge is to increase volumes, but there are not many suitable production regions .
More water for La Axarquía
Over the next 6 months, the region will receive 9.1 hm³ of reclaimed water for irrigation.
RETAILERS
Investment in food distribution was maintained in 2022
In 2022, 825 points of sale were opened and 1300 were refurbished, with an important dynamism being observed in small towns, of under 10,000 inhabitants, which recorded 20% of the new openings.
Aldi Suisse: goodbye to fruit and vegetables by air
Aldi Suisse is preaching by its example and is banning the sale of fruit and vegetables arriving by plane.
