Spanish persimmon sector presses for marketing norms to reduce losses

Spain’s AVA-ASAJA has urged the Ministry of Agriculture to introduce crop-specific marketing rules for persimmons, warning that the absence of dedicated standards is driving record on-farm food waste. The call came during the association’s persimmon sector meeting at Finca Sinyent, attended by around 100 growers.

Under current generic EU fruit and vegetable rules, buyers can reject fruit with superficial skin marks despite intact eating quality. AVA-ASAJA says discards now exceed 40% of production in many orchards.

The group also renewed its push for an interprofessional body, noting that the Valencian Community accounts for roughly 90% of Spanish and European persimmon output and trade. It argues that coordinated promotion could normalise consumption of cosmetically imperfect fruit.

Prices up, volumes down

After the storm-hit 2024 harvest, the latest season delivered mixed results. Farm-gate prices stabilised between €0.40-0.65/kg, the minimum threshold growers say covers rising costs.

Initial crop forecasts of 300,000 tonnes were cut by around 20% following hail damage.

Pest pressure remained high, led by cotonet, alongside whitefly, leaf spot and South African thrips. AVA-ASAJA is calling for wider access to phytosanitary and biological controls, including approval for mass releases of Anagyrus fusciventris to combat Pseudococcus longispinus.

The association maintains that tailored marketing rules and stronger pest-control tools are critical to reducing waste and safeguarding sector profitability.

source: avaasaja.org

photo: agronewscomunitatvalenciana.com