Already finished the harvest of others stone fruits such as apricot or medlar, it is time for the following. A) Yes, the plum campaign, Specially in Estremadura, the main producing community, has already started, while in other regions it is finished. An important demand for this fruit from northern Europe has led to a price rise originally a 27%. At least that has pointed to Effeagro the national responsible for stone fruit of UPA, Antonio Moreno. How do you foresee the season in production figures and other aspects?
Forecast of the plum campaign in this 2019
Last week the Extremadura farmers They began the collection of the stone fruit characteristic for its dark purple color, although there is also yellow, for example. But varieties of plums aside, the news is that its price has risen due, in large part, to 'a lack of product' in the north Europe. There are several countries that demand quantities of these fruits at this time to make other final products. It has not been enough with the supply of the already collected areas of Andalusia, Valencian Community and Murcia.
As reported by the Small Farmers Union (UPA) a EFE, the 2019 plum campaign is expected to be "normal", within the usual trend of recent years. Those in which, despite the changes in rates, it is still far from covering production costs. To accomplish this, it would be necessary for farmers to pay plums to 80 cents per kilogram. Something that does not occur today maintains the plum campaign without much positivism.
Of course, at least from June 10 to 16, the price stood at 74,5 cents per kilogram, about twenty cents more than in the same period of 2018, according to data from the Ministry. It also forecasts production growth a 2,7% more than a year ago. Throughout the national territory a total of 151.700 tons of plums, most of them coming from Estremadura.
Figures similar to 2018 and concern about the SMI
Precisely now in the region of the west of the peninsula they have also given their forecasts. The manager of the fruit growers association afruexMiguel Angel Gomez has marked in 90.000 tons target production. With this goal, the plum campaign Extremadura will continue during the month of July with the «hopeful» impression of the farmers, in quality and prices at «normal level». This, despite the fact that hail effects They have made a dent in the fruit, as happened already in 2018, reducing "the potential figure of up to 120.000 tons."
More worrying and «untenable»Is the entry into force of the increase in the minimum interprofessional wage (SMI), a measure promoted by the socialist government. According Gomez, this represents a "25% increase in wage costs" that large producers must bear during the plum campaign. Will they be able to amortize this with the final price at which they pay the fruit?
