Good forecasts and late start for European stone fruits

The stone fruit campaign will begin with a slight delay of about 10 days, presents good calibers and qualities. It shows little affectation by the hail of the past weeks in Catalonia and Aragon, as discussed in the Committee of stone fruit FEPEX met yesterday Tuesday by videoconference. The committee also elected Joaquín Gómez, the president of the Murcia fruit exporters association APOEXPA, as coordinator. The committee is made up of the associations ASOCIAFRUIT (Andalusia), AFRUCAT (Catalonia), APOEXPA (Murcia), AFRUEX (Extremadura), APEPH, AEAMDE and EXCOFRUT (Aragon), ARIFRUT (La Rioja) and FEXPHAL (Valencia).

2 weeks delay at the beginning

The stone fruit committee of FEPEX foresees that the campaign will start with a delay of between one and two weeks in the main production areas. Important volumes are expected for the first harvest in the earliest regions such as Murcia, around the middle of May. The weather during the first fortnight of May will be decisive for the delay to be maintained or not.

Slight losses due to hail

As for the hail that fell mainly in Aragon and Catalonia, it was noted that it had only slightly affected the crop. The overall damage caused by the hailstorm of April 19 that affected the Plana de Lleida was around 8% of the potential production of the area. Good quality and similar sizes and volumes to those of last year are also expected. As for crop areas, they remain stabilized for all products and areas, highlighting a slight growth in apricot cultivation in Aragon and Catalonia.

European working group

The Committee also prepared the next meeting of the stone fruit contact group of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal, to be held in Portugal in the second week of May, which will address, among other issues, the progress made in the joint work that has been developed in phytosanitary matters.

Nectarine and paraguaya the most exported

Spanish stone fruit exports in 2024 stood at 903,591 tons worth 1,468 million euros. Broken down by product, apricot exports stood at 95,903 tons worth 175 million euros; plum exports stood at 77,219 tons worth 127 million euros and cherry exports at 39,967 tons and 139 million euros. Peach exports amounted to 147,138 tons and 217 million euros, nectarine exports amounted to 339,085 tons and 495.5 million euros and Paraguayan exports totaled 204,276 tons and 315 million euros, according to customs data.

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