As part of the start of the harvest season, there have been meetings, with their first setbacks, to determine the prices of fresh fruit and the prices of the fruit for the industry. Producers have asked that the peach for pulp be worth at least 3.50 pesos and that the peach for canning be worth 5 pesos, minimum.
The department's fruit harvest season has started, which has given rise to the first problems regarding fruit prices for fresh consumption and for industrialization, as in the case of peaches.
The province is in a situation of uncertainty as no base price or payment method has been agreed for the fruit that will be harvested in a few days time. Thus, producers will have to start marketing their products without knowing these conditions, which will leave them in an adverse situation.
Representatives of the agricultural sector have met with local authorities in the last few hours and have expressed the sector's concern regarding this issue and the need to set said prices as soon as possible.
There are many speculations and few certainties after the last increase of the dollar. The first offers for fresh peach are lower than 4 pesos, when the sector and representatives of the sector had raised the need for a 5 pesos price even before the devaluation took place.
"For now there are no firm prices," stated the Rural Society headed by Cristian Pozzi. They also added that, "there is a very competitive dollar but that is not translating to the prices that reach consumers."
To cite one example, they stated that the price of a can of peaches in the supermarket remains between 20 and 30 pesos, while producers are paid much less; something that has been happening for several years.
In this context, the Rural Society has requested that the peach for pulp be paid at least 3.50 and the prime peach (for canning) be sold starting at 5 pesos and up.
Additionally, the entity has been having meetings with the provincial government so they arbitrate in the fruit prices, as there won't be a trusteeship that sets official prices this year.
The plum harvest is still a little far away, but producers have stated that if prices are below 5 pesos this fruit would be unprofitable, and that dried plums should be priced around 20 pesos to be profitable. While there are no certainties in the market, last year the fresh produce was traded at 2.50 and 11 respectively, so there will probably be a fight for the final price for producers.
