Strawberry producers from Spain, France and Italy augur a production like the one of 2016 and of better quality
During the last meeting held in Agen (France) by the Spanish-French-Italian Strawberry Contact Group, composed of representatives of the French and Italian producers as well as of Spain grouped together in the Association of Strawberry Producers and Exporters from Huelva (FRESHUELVA), integrated in FEPEX, have analyzed the forecasts for the current campaign, predicting a production similar to that of 2016, but of better quality. This contact has also served to further progress in phytosanitary matters.
The representatives of the three countries expect this season to stabilize production volumes, assimilating to those of 2016, with a good staggering of production and a better quality, largely attributable to the varietal renewal that has been carried out in most farms.
FRESHUELVA has reported that the surface planted strawberry in Huelva amounts to 5,400 hectares, while the area planted in Italy is 3,400 hectares. Representatives of the AOP Fraise de France have estimated a total production of 45,000 tonnes
The French representatives of the AOP Fraise de France have also confirmed their presence at the III International Congress of Red Fruit, scheduled for next June in Huelva, organized by FRESHUELVA.
Phytosanitary advances
In the phytosanitary area, the Group has strengthened cooperation, so that Italy will adhere to the work already initiated by France and Spain to improve competitiveness by unifying active substances.
Since 2014, France and Spain are working on mutual recognition as a means to authorize the use of phytosanitary products necessary for the control of pests in strawberry cultivation
Mutual recognition provides that a product authorized in one Member State for the same use and under comparable agricultural practices may be automatically authorized in another Member State if the agricultural, plant health and environmental conditions are comparable.
The Contact Group has also opened a new line of cooperation on promotion, agreeing to make joint proposals within the framework of the European Commission‘s promotion policy
At the meeting of Agen, representatives of the sector of France, Italy and Spain took part, as well as responsible of the Spanish and French administrations. The Spanish part was represented by the director of Fepex, José María Pozancos; the manager of Freshuelva, Rafael Domínguez; the vice president of Freshuelva, Cristóbal Picón; the manager of Costa de Huelva, Bartolomé Fernández, and the general secretary of UPA-Huelva, Manuel Piedra. The Hispano-Franco-Italiano strawberry group is one of the contact groups that were created within the framework of the Mixed Hispanic-French Committee of fruits and vegetables, to which Italy joined in 2010.
Source: FEPEX
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