The 2023/24 campaign will be characterised by restraint at Natural Tropic. The generalised decrease in production in the sector will mean that the company from Malaga will drop from 4 million kilos last year to around 700,000 kg. And although the prices remain high (1.6€/kg compared to last year’s 0.90€/kg), “the prices that we should be defending cannot be applied.” According to Prudencio López, Manager at Natural Tropic, “mangos are very price-sensitive. If they go up, consumers take a step back.” In fact, on markets such as Germany and France programmes have failed due to the increase in prices of Spanish produce, opting for sources such as Brazil, which has made a significant entry on the market in a campaign that is being very complex for Spain.
In this context, it is obvious that the prices, on their own, will not offset the important drop in volume, and at Natural Tropic “we are going to try to compensate the drop in production, offsetting the import campaign.”
Another of the lines where they are working on seeking out greater profitability is the search for maximum efficiency and reductions in costs. To reduce energy expenses, they have carried out a photovoltaic installation that generates 900kw of green energy, reducing energy costs by 65%.
First campaign with pistachio nuts
This will be a year with no investments planned in subtropical fruit, although at the same time, the company is doubling its efforts in an area where it has been working for some time now. This is the incorporation of pistachio nuts to its product range. “We have been producing them for two and a half years now, and we are starting to market them this year with 50 tonnes of pistachio nuts.” They already have 70 hectares planted in Caniles (Granada), and they are studying the feasibility of starting up a processing plant to expand this new business line.
The water problem
The water shortage in La Axarquía could be alleviated in 3 or 4 months’ time. “Regenerated water could calm our thirst somewhat,” but this is not a panacea. “The cost of regenerated water is around 0.40-0.50€/m3 and with repumping, this rises to 0.70-0.80.”
The work already started by the Public Administrations, along with the planned future work will not be enough; a desalination plant is needed.”
