According to estimates from the Union of Small Agricultural Producers and Cattle Ranchers, UPA Aragón, the strong heat wave of June could cause Huesca's fruit production to be reduced by between 15 and 20%. In general, the most severely affected crops have been cherries, plums, apples and pears.
This reduction in the volume has not had an impact on prices, which continue their downward trend and now stand about five cents below those of last year's campaign. In most cases, these do not even cover the production costs, while a greater number of laborers are needed for the harvest. The lack of laborers has also made it difficult to carry out the thinning, which has resulted in the production of smaller calibers.
The head for fruit at Uaga Aragón, Óscar Moret, said that in addition to the damages caused by the heat, which has accelerated the fruits' ripening process, there have been thrips pests, and these insects have left marks on the fruits.
Speaking on Asaja's part, its general secretary in Aragon, Ángel Samper, explained that in this campaign, there have been drops in the production of yellow and red peaches. Regarding the sector's situation, Samper said that he is not optimistic, given the experiences of other years. For its part, Asaja Aragón has proposed an uprooting plan in order to decongest the market.
Lastly, the general secretary of UPA in Aragon, José Manuel Roche, said that in the case of stone fruit, the prospects are quite good "in terms of both quantity and quality," with a 20% increase in the production compared to the previous campaign. He explains that with the exception of last week, the harvest has been carried out normally.
