The Valencian Community to Harvest 54% More Stone Fruit Than Last Season

According to a preliminary estimate by La Unió Llauradora, the Valencian Community is expected to produce 54% more stone fruit this season compared to last year, provided there are no significant weather disruptions in the coming weeks. Despite this increase, the production volume will still be 57% lower than the fifteen-year average.

La Unió Llauradora forecasts around 13,120 tons of stone fruit this season. Peaches, donut peaches, and nectarines will make up 50% of the total (6,500 tons), plums will account for 40% (5,223 tons), and apricots will contribute the remaining 10% (1,355 tons). The province of Valencia is expected to produce 75% of the harvest (9,878 tons), Alicante 20% (2,640 tons), and Castellón 5% (718 tons). The harvest began early with good flowering and fruit setting due to favorable weather conditions. However, some areas experienced water stress due to westerly winds and excessive heat.

Challenges and Concerns

Producers have highlighted difficulties in finding specialized labor for thinning and harvesting tasks. They also raised concerns about the increase in stone fruit imports. The European Union has increased imports by 79% over the past decade, with significant contributions from Turkey, Chile, and South Africa. Turkey’s shipments to European markets have surged by 425%, Chile’s by 29%, and South Africa’s by 22%.

Measures to Prevent Crop Decline

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Agriculture in 2022, the Valencian Community had 7,162 hectares of stone fruit crops. Of this, 42% (2,981 ha) is devoted to apricots, 39% (2,800 ha) to peaches, and 19% (1,381 ha) to plums.

Since the start of the century, the area dedicated to stone fruits in the Valencian Community has decreased by 12,132 hectares, a 60% reduction at a constant annual rate of 8%. The apricot area has shrunk by 3,133 hectares (-51%), the peach area by 4,346 hectares (-54%), and the plum acreage by 4,653 hectares (-77%).

Proposed Solutions

La Unió Llauradora has proposed several urgent measures to reverse this trend. The first measure involves launching promotional campaigns to highlight the quality and proximity of the region’s fruits and their benefits to Spaniards and the environment compared to non-EU fruit.

Additionally, La Unió calls for an increase in the research budget to develop varieties better adapted to climate change, enhancing competitiveness in the markets.

La Unió also emphasizes the importance of agricultural insurance for farmers, especially given the significant increase in the accident rate in recent years. They propose that the government increase insurance subsidies for professional fruit farmers to 70%, the maximum limit allowed by the EU.