According to EastFruit analysts, Spain has sharply reduced are under raspberries. According to the Freshuelva association from the main berry-producing province of Spain, the area under raspberries for the new season’s harvest may fall by 21.5%, which is the most dramatic reduction in area of all berry crops. By comparison, blueberry acreage in this region could increase by half a percent.
The main reason for the area decrease, according to representatives of the industry association, was the negative impact of Storm Bernard, which had the most significant negative impact on raspberry plantations. Previously, EastFruit provided a detailed analysis of the consequences of this storm, predicting an increase in berry prices in the season 2023/24.
However, obviously, besides the storm, there may be other reasons for the raspberry area contraction. Prices for this berry have been incredibly low in the last two seasons, which could also negatively affect farmers’ desire to grow raspberries. In 2024 Serbia, Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina are also expected to reduce raspberry area.
Spain is the world’s largest exporter of fresh raspberries and blackberries, earning more than half a billion US dollars a year from the export of these berries. Spain takes advantage of the climate and the huge EU market, which allows it to export products in the spring before producers from colder European countries enter the market and then in the autumn season, when other producers have already left the market. The volume of exports of fresh raspberries and blackberries from Spain reaches an impressive 70 thousand tons. At the same time, in terms of export volumes Spain was overtaken by Mexico in the last couple of years, but in terms of the value of exports, Spain was still the global leader.
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