After a good start to the pomegranate campaign, sales have slowed down this month with the transition from the Valencian to the Mollar variety, mainly due to the start of the harvest in all producing areas of Spain, including Elche, Valencia, Andalusia and Murcia.
"It's usual at this time, although production is growing constantly," affirms Susi Bonet, of the sales department of the cooperative Cambayas. "The Mollar variety is planted much more often than the Valencia because of its taste, which results in market oversupply."
But in addition to Spain, there is also fruit available from other countries, such as Israel, Turkey, Pakistan and Morocco, where production is growing substantially.
"While sales are stagnating, prices are also down at the moment because of the competitive pressure from Turkey, as it supplies good quality pomegranates that resemble Spain's fruit. Turkish pomegranates are also widely popular in the Eastern markets, where they have the advantage of the lower logistics costs."
The loss of the Russian market by the veto is also a determining factor this season. "The Russian market was important for us. Moreover, we thought that because of increased shipments to Russia from Israel and Turkey, there would be more space for us in Europe, but competition from these sources remains almost unchanged," assures Susi Bonet.
Nevertheless, Susi points out that consumption is gradually increasing, highlighting the boost in sales in Germany this season. "In the past, the German market seemed to prefer other varieties, like the Wonderful; now we are seeing an upturn in demand for Spanish pomegranates, especially for the Mollar."
In Europe, demand for pomegranates increases when the temperatures begin to drop. "It's the same as what happens with citrus, and this is due to its antioxidant properties and high vitamin C content, which boost their sales in the cold winter months."
Cambayas specialises in the marketing of fresh pomegranates. The most demanded packaging format is the box with wood shavings, although there is a growing trend in the demand for packs of two or three pieces because of their price, especially in the UK."
Cambayas will showcase its range of Mollar pomegranates at Fruit Attraction in the Hall of the Region of Valencia, stand 10E06H.
