Spain expects smaller stone fruit harvest in 2025

According to Cooperativas Agroalimentarias de España, Spain’s stone fruit harvest is expected to fall by 5% compared to last year, reaching just over 1.44 million tonnes. The forecast, presented in May 2025, puts the total close to the five-year average but lower than initially expected.

In Castilla y León, a region with smaller production compared to other areas, the total harvest may drop by around 130 tonnes, ending up slightly above 2,400 tonnes. In 2024, the region recorded 1,996 tonnes of cherries and sour cherries, mainly from León, Salamanca, and Burgos; 349 tonnes of peaches, mostly from Zamora; and 219 tonnes of plums, especially from Burgos and Salamanca.

Peach production is among the most affected crops nationwide, expected to stay below 275,000 tonnes, partly due to hailstorms in April and May that damaged key producing areas like Lleida and Murcia.

Unstable spring weather also delayed flowering and slowed down the start of the harvest by 10 to 15 days, especially in early zones and in the Ebro Valley.

Even with the reduced volumes, the season has started with good fruit quality and market balance in regions that were not hit by severe weather.

Across Europe, other countries like Greece and Turkey also faced damage from frost and heavy rain during flowering, which could limit their production too. As a result, no market overlap between producing areas is expected, and the fruit supply is entering the market steadily.

For now, the focus is more on available volumes than on price, according to the cooperative group.

source: eldebate.com

photo: jardineriaon.com