"Table grape prices, both of the early varieties -such as Doña María or Red Globe- and of the later Aledo variety, which is characteristic of New Year's Eve, are very low in this campaign while production costs are skyrocketing," stated LA UNIÓ.
"Faced with this situation, LA UNIÓ is asking consumers to buy local grapes, which have an unparalleled freshness and quality, in a commitment to proximity products over those of other countries." "Consuming our grape is fundamental for the economy, creating employment, and curbing land abandonment," stated Enrique Sanchez, the head of LA UNIÓ's table grape sector. The production and marketing of the PDO Vinalopó grape generate numerous direct jobs and has a decisive impact on the economy of the territory and the villages in which it is produced.
"At the moment, the prices of the Aledo variety range around €0.60/kg and have a downward trend. On the same dates last year they ranged between €0.90/kg and €1/kg, so the difference is remarkable."
"Meanwhile, production costs have increased on average by 30% more than in previous marketing years. The price of water has risen from 25 to 47 cents per cubic meter and fertilizer prices have doubled. Even the price of the paper bags - which are used to protect the grapes from possible external elements, such as insects, birds, or weather conditions, and which help delay their ripening helping them achieve an excellent quality- have increased," LA UNIÓ stated.
"We're being paid prices from 30 years ago and the costs have increased outrageously, so it is very difficult to make a living and maintain the farms. The market isn't moving as in other years and we are experiencing a lot of distress in this campaign. That's why we're sending an SOS to consumers asking them to purchase as many national grapes as they can to help us face the dramatic situation we find ourselves in," Sanchez concluded.
For more information:
LA UNIÓ
Tel.: +34 963 530 036
launio@launio.org
https://launio.org