Problems with weather are common during problems with weather that are common to the Spanish imported season. Numerous heavy rainstorms occurred following a prolonged dry spell which led to problems the, say, Spanish soft fruit production as well as quality. This seems to be getting better as of now. Guido Jr. Heerman of the Belgian importer Guido Fruit experienced that too. “Supply was scarce in the early part of the season. However, now that Lleida and Huesca have begun the season, more and more are being made readily available,” he begins.
The Spanish stone fruit season was out to a rough beginning at Van Dijk Foods Belgium too. The mid-April period saw their first nectarine and pears volume. They were top-quality,” says Henk Vlaeminck. “It was extremely sunny at the time which is why they were large brix values. Later on However, the difficulties with the availability of water impacted these fruit, which made it hard to find good quality stone fruits. Growers in Spain are worried over the current drought. In the last week of May, it rained however it was a torrential rain and didn’t resolve the water shortage. The water drains away very fast, and that doesn’t do much. The water must be allowed to absorb in the earth.”
It meant that up until early the month of June, nectarine and fruit prices were exorbitant, experts claim. “It was dark and cold in the area for quite a while and demand also slowed somewhat. When the temperatures slowly increased and sales increased, the market grew,” Henk explains.
“Combine the two with small supply up to the middle of May, prices were typically higher than average,” adds Guido Jr. “Supply’s increasing due to a variety of Spanish regions entering the mix, however it’s still a case of trading nectarines, peaches, and apricots for commercial price. I believe that this year’s Spanish stone fruit harvest should conclude in a good way and will have a higher quantity than the previous year. But, water scarcity will be a chronic issue that is a concern for our farmers.”
The drought is a serious concern for Spanish farmers of the cherry industry as well, Guido Jr. explains. But, the harsh conditions in the latter part of May were their most significant issue. “The Spanish cherry season started highly promisingly, with exceptional dimensions and quality. However, the storms and intense rains that alternated with drought in the the peak season of cherries did that cherry’s taste not do it any good. This was an important game changer in that it instantly reduced the supply. This has happened before, however it puts an end to the season. of the season.” He acknowledges.
Henk is in agreement, stating that Belgium received almost no volume at the beginning of June. “There were a very small amount exported following those rains. It’s still an issue for us. There’s a demand for it, especially with the lovely weather that is here in Belgium. In the spring, cherries will fly off the shelves. But, it’s difficult to locate good quality cherries. Spanish stores sold high-quality products, leaving very little to export, which caused price increases.”
“I am not expecting that changes much over the remainder of the year either. The cherry season typically runs through in the latter part of June. This means that buyers have to wait until the Dutch and Belgian cherries to arrive. The market will definitely get relief but the Spanish season of cherries will come to an close with expensive costs. It’s possible to say that I could not identify any fruit imported that was affordable in the early part of June. The climate issues are getting worse in many areas with limited supply of water. It could be stones, cherries such as kiwis, oranges, or stone fruit. The supply is very limited and prices are outrageous. That means plenty of fruit is now considered to be luxury goods,” Henk concludes.
More information is available here: 
Guido Fruit
Tel. : +32 (0)2 242 70 70
info@guidofruit.be
www.guidofruit.be
Van Dijk Foods
Tel. : +32 15 55 65 61
info@vdfb.be
www.vandijkfoods.be