Harold Huot, from Surberry: "Blueberry cultivation without strategy has no future"
"The competition in the cranberry sector is already a fact that did not have to be negative. Healthy competition promotes improvements and stimulates the search for sustainable alternatives. In the cultivation of cranberry, in Spain we woke up a little late, "says Harold Huot, manager of Surberry.
"This cranberry campaign has been complicated: prices have plummeted and linearly since the 1 day of the campaign. If we add that products from different origins have overlapped in a saturated market, the result is disastrous, "he continues.
"We must avoid the case of the French strawberry. The French farmers, to compete with Spain, wanted to reach the same volumes as the neighboring country. At that time it would have been interesting to bet on more attractive varieties with added value. Emphasizing the flavor and relegating volumes and prices to the background, they might have preserved their market share, "explains the manager.
According to Harold Huot, many Spanish producers have opted for the cultivation of cranberry because it is less expensive than raspberries or strawberries. The berries delicate must be picked up several times a day, while the blueberry can wait between 2 and 3 days and its handling does not require as much delicacy in the harvest.
The raspberry requires an assiduous and delicate harvest
"Without regulatory bodies or long-term strategies, we are now facing a collapsed market that was not prepared for these fluctuations. Of course, the competition of powerful producers like Chile, Peru and South Africa (until February), and in the second campaign France, Poland and Eastern countries in summer is huge. But it would be positive to invest more in the search for viable alternatives, R & D and marketing, "says the manager of Surberry.
“The stumbling block is that many farmers now find trees rather than easy-to-remove plants. The renewal of plant material is, in the case of blueberries, cumbersome and economically expensive. There has been a miscalculation. The only way to alleviate it is by betting on varieties that adapt to the client's needs and offering a service or added value. This could be the strong point of Spain and that has remained in the bedroom. Just thinking about an increase in volume in agriculture has no future ”, says Harold Huot.
"The opening of markets is always a solution, with the appropriate strategy and choosing the adapted varieties. Many agricultural sectors forget that marketing is essential, cultivation is also a business that must make its way”, says Harold Huot.
Surberry, a young company with a stable market in the berries, exports throughout Europe, mainly to the United Kingdom, Benelux, Italy, Switzerland, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Its French subsidiary with the brand "J'aime les fraises" opens up interesting channels for culturally highly appreciated products in France such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries.
ARTÍCULOS RELACIONADOS
