Far fewer kilos on the scale, but higher prices; this is how the mango campaign has closed in 2015 and it looks like avocados, which will continue until early spring, will move in the same direction. This is the annual review of the cooperative Trops, a European giant in the export of subtropical fruits from the heart of the Malaga region of Axarquia, with its 2,300 associated producers.
The manager of the firm, Enrique Colilles, states that avocados this season will reach between 20% and 30% lower production volumes. However, the traditionally high prices registered in November have remained stable throughout the month of December. In global terms, due to the lower volume, avocados may generate losses of between six to seven million Euro compared to previous campaigns, but "the campaign will undoubtedly be saved thanks to the better prices," states Colilles.
The mango market presents a similar behaviour. This year, the figures in this sense are more than confirmed. On paper, the prices at origin were 41.55% higher than in 2014. "Quality is our best guarantee and the overseas markets continue to recognise this; we grow mangoes that have no equal in terms of quality anywhere else on the planet."
Colilles clarifies that, in terms of volume, the mango campaign has, however, been quite negative. A 57% drop in the harvest has been registered compared to the previous season. The turnover has amounted to over 9 million Euro, compared with the record achieved two years ago, when the fruit's sales generated 11 million Euro.
"We continue depending on the weather and we can anticipate that, if it rains abundantly in the months ahead, we will also have a complicated 2016 when it comes to the number of kilos," explains the manager of Trops. The firm is based in Velez-Malaga, but has already opened facilities in Coín and in the vicinity of the town of Almuñécar, in Granada. In 2015, its turnover came close to 70 million Euro. 90% of its industrial volume is intended for export; the cooperative has customers in 25 countries on four continents. This is an example of the success of the cooperative model, and not only in the region of Andalusia.
"With the opening of our facilities in Coín, we have improved our capacity to handle the fruit," explains the head of the firm. The aim is to set up combined shipments in heavy trucks to prevent growers from having to do this individually, as they did until recently from different parts between the Guadalhorce Valley and Velez.
One of Trops' targets is to facilitate the daily work of its partners. In fact, next to the headquarters in the Axarquía capital, it has also set up a petrol station "with special prices for the producers belonging to the cooperative, but also a new store devoted to the sale of delicatessen gastronomic products, mostly of Andalusian origin."
