Fruit Today spoke to Miquel Roig, the company’s Director, about these and other issues.
How has the harvest of the first varieties, such as Gala, been after such a hot summer?
We have experienced one of the hottest summers of recent decades and weather conditions have been challenging for the crop. However, our location, very close to the sea, provides us with particularly favourable microclimatic conditions.
It is true that the average fruit size has been slightly smaller than we would have liked, but the overall assessment of the Gala harvest is positive in terms of quality and storage potential.
We have achieved a Gala with good storage potential, which will allow us to continue offering locally grown fruit throughout much of the spring.
With apple supplies down in the main European producing countries, could Spanish apples gain a greater presence in international markets? Or will Italy, where production remains stable, take advantage of this opportunity?
Spain still has considerable scope to increase both consumption and the market share of domestically grown apples. In our case, our main commitment is to the Spanish market and to major retailers, supplying them 12 months a year.
Rather than viewing this as a question of competing with other producing countries, we believe the focus should be on highlighting the strengths of Spanish production: locally grown produce, knowledge of the territory, local employment and a shorter, more predictable supply chain.
You have made a major commitment to Tessa. What stage are you at now and what volumes do you expect?
Tessa is developing very positively. We are consolidating the variety and progressively increasing volumes, while always seeking to maintain the right balance between supply and demand.
At the same time, we remain committed to varietal innovation and to new varieties from HCP, of which we are a founding partner.
We believe that having a strong varietal portfolio is essential in order to offer consumers alternatives and provide added value to our retail customers.
What is the general outlook for the season?
Forecast volumes in many of the main producing countries are particularly low, and all indications point to a season in which apple availability will be an important factor, especially as the season progresses.
We are already seeing some effects in the market for apples destined for processing, where there is growing concern about securing supply.
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In a context such as this, planning and long-term relationships become even more important. For us, a commercial relationship should not be assessed solely on the basis of the price at a particular point in a single season.
Are there any new markets or market niches for Fructícola?
Our main objective remains to work closely with major retailers and build stable, long-term commercial relationships.
It is a channel we feel very comfortable working with and one where we believe we can add value, particularly through our ability to plan production, store fruit for long periods and maintain a regular supply.
What volume do you expect to market this season?
This year, we expect to recover a significant part of our production potential and estimate that we will once again market more than 26 million kilos.
