Some subsectors, such as strawberries, have solved it with specific international agreements, but in others the issue persists both in the fields and in the packing warehouses. This is the case for Murcia’s stone fruit and also for grapes, which require even more labour to reach the market.
“If the government ends up approving the 37.5-hour workweek, the situation in the sector will get worse. We work with highly perishable products that must arrive fresh to the markets; we are not an office where the work can be delayed. This situation should be assessed specifically because it could be disastrous for a sector that contributes significantly to the national GDP,” says Antonio Caballero, manager of Frutas Torero.
Facilities
Step by step, the Murcia-based company is preparing to expand its new warehouse to also pack one of its flagship products: grapes.
The company has already completed two seasons in its new fruit and vegetable facility, where it has packed early stone fruit from the beginning. When grape season arrives, due to the complexity of the product, operations move to the old warehouse. However, this won’t last much longer, as the plan is to centralise both packing operations in the new facility.
“We like to do things slowly and with great care. Of course, the idea is to bring both productions together in the new facility, and we will do so, but without rushing, because the investments we’ve made and those we are planning are significant. Just adapting the technology we use for grape packing to this warehouse is a major logistical challenge.”
Good calibres
Although it started late, the stone fruit season can be described as a good campaign, with no size issues because the fruit spent more time on the tree. Additionally, the fact that bad weather reduced overall volumes has led to strong demand and fluid markets.
The weather has shown its less friendly side with hail and heavy rains in several areas of the region (Archena, Mula, Jumilla, Caravaca, etc.), affecting not only early apricots but other fruit types as well. “We had a rainy March with temperatures lower than usual, and then the hailstorms on 10 and 12 May finished off a campaign with lower-than-expected volumes, though markets are currently very dynamic,” the executive explains.
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This late start will also have another consequence: the early fruit campaign is likely to end a few weeks later than usual, possibly in late June. From then on, Frutas Torero moves into marketing its first grape varieties.
Progress
The company is also continuing to invest in its fields. To the 53 hectares added last year, around 20 more will be added this year. “The business requires us to plant the new varieties the market is demanding.”
Although the labour shortage remains an unresolved issue, one thing the Murcia-based company has secured is generational succession, thanks to the incorporation of the second generation into the business.
