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Required Report - public distribution

**Date:** 10/15/2003

**GAIN Report Number:** SP3033

SP3033

**Spain**

**Strawberries**

**Annual**

**2003**

**Approved by:**

![](media/image1.wmf)LLoyd J. Fleck

American Embassy

**Prepared by:**

Pilar Muñoz

**Report Highlights:**

A wet spring and the early onset of warm weather reduced output and
quality of Spain's 2003 strawberry crop. Despite this setback, poor
crops elsewhere in Europe encouraged strong exports to Spain's
traditional markets.

Includes PSD Changes: Yes

Includes Trade Matrix: Yes

Annual Report

Madrid \[SP1\]

\[SP\]

**Table of Contents**

[Executive Summary 3](#executive-summary)

[FRESH STRAWBERRIES 4](#fresh-strawberries)

[PS&D Table 4](#psd-table)

[Production 4](#production)

[Consumption 4](#consumption)

[Trade 4](#trade)

[FROZEN STRAWBERRIES 6](#frozen-strawberries)

[PS&D Table 6](#psd-table-1)

[Production 6](#production-1)

[Consumption 6](#consumption-1)

[Trade 6](#trade-1)

# Executive Summary

Spain's 2003 strawberry output reached only 300,000 tons, a 10 percent
drop from the previous year. An unusually wet spring and
warmer-than-normal temperatures in the primary production area created
ideal conditions for molds. As a result, the quality of the crop
suffered, forcing April 2003 prices down by a third from last year's
levels. For the season, the wholesale price was 0.820 Euros/Kg, compared
to 0.937 Euros/Kg in 2002. Total area planted to strawberries in 2003
was 8,000 hectares.

Strawberry production continues to be heavily concentrated, with nearly
95 percent coming from the province of Huelva, in the southern region of
Andalucia. Much of the rest of the crop comes from the area around the
city of Cadiz.

While the fresh market \-- domestic and export \-- continues to be the
focus of the industry, about 10-to-15 percent of the fruit is diverted
to industrial use for frozen strawberries, jams and flavorings.

The strawberry industry is continuing its efforts to develop varieties
especially adapted to the soil and weather conditions of Huelva.
Resistance to molds and fungus is a major goal of this research, since
soil treatments with methyl bromide and chloropicrin are becoming
problematic.

# ![](media/image2.wmf)FRESH STRAWBERRIES

## PS&D Table

## Production

Spanish strawberry production for marketing year 2003 (Jan-Dec) was
300,000 tons, a ten percent decrease from MY 2002. According to industry
sources, 16 percent of the total crop came from strawberries planted
under an \"integrated production\" system. This type of production is
designed to obtain a better quality product using the different elements
from the \"agro system\" (water, plant, soil and weather) more
effectively with the goal of reducing environmental impact and keeping
the production profitable. This process carefully regulates the use of
pesticides.

## Consumption

Domestic fresh strawberry consumption in MY 2003 totaled 58,000 tons,
around a third lower than MY 2002. The high incidence of mold in
production areas reduced both the amount of marketable fruit and its
shelf life. Fresh strawberries are a popular spring fruit; they are
usually served with cream or used to decorate cakes and tarts.

## Trade

Despite the problems with the 2003 crop, strawberry exports reached an
estimated 211,000 tons, or 14 percent above the previous season. The
ready market for this lower quality crop reflects the problems of other
early season producers in Europe. The main markets were Germany, France,
United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium. Industry sources say that a
significant quantity of fruit was spoiled on arrival in these markets
and was returned to shippers

As Spain is a major producer and exporter of fresh strawberries, imports
are generally small. For MY 2003, imports are estimated at around 8,000
tons. Most were later season fruit from France.

  ----------------- -------------------------- --------------- -----------
  **Export Trade                                               
  Matrix**                                                     

  **Country**       Spain                                      

  **Commodity**     Fresh Strawberries                         

  Time Period       CY                         Units:          Metric Tons

  Exports for:      2001                                       **2002**

  U.S.              0                          U.S.            0

  Others                                       Others          

  Germany           91269                      Germany         65275

  France            53360                      France          46862

  United Kingdom    17530                      United Kingdom  20161

  Italy             13962                      Italy           14944

  Belgium           10935                      Belgium         13534

  Portugal          6882                       Portugal        7697

  Netherlands       5615                       Austria         5402

  Austria           5401                       Netherlands     4686

  Switzerland       2019                       Czech Republic  2216

                                                                

  Total for Others  206973                                     180777

  Others not Listed 5117                                       3892

  Grand Total       212090                                     184669
  ----------------- -------------------------- --------------- -----------

  ----------------- -------------------------- --------------- -----------
  **Import Trade                                               
  Matrix**                                                     

  **Country**       Spain                                      

  **Commodity**     Fresh Strawberries                         

  Time Period       CY                         Units:          Metric Tons

  Imports for:      2001                                       **2002**

  U.S.              0                          U.S.            0

  Others                                       Others          

  France            1947                       France          4306

  Morocco           1003                       Morocco         1297

  Belgium           137                                         

                                                                

                                                                

                                                                

                                                                

  Total for Others  3087                                       5603

  Others not Listed 49                                         60

  Grand Total       3136                                       5663
  ----------------- -------------------------- --------------- -----------

# FROZEN STRAWBERRIES

## PS&D Table

## Production

![](media/image3.wmf)

Frozen strawberry production for MY 2003 totaled around 25,000 tons, off
a third from MY 2002. Lower deliveries to processors reflect the
reduction in marketable fruit available on the market.

## Consumption

Most frozen berries are processed into jams, yogurt and flavorings.
Domestic consumption will fall only slightly in MY 2003, as most of the
production shortfall will be made up with imports and carryover stocks.

## Trade

MY 2003 exports should continue at nearly the same level as MY 2002, as
processors give priority to their traditional customers in Western
Europe. MY 2003 imports will rise to help fill the production shortfall.
Morocco continues to be the major supplier of frozen strawberries to
Spain.

  ---------------- --------------------------- -------------- ------------
  **Export Trade                                              
  Matrix**                                                    

  **Country**      Spain                                      

  **Commodity**    Frozen Strawberries                        

  Time Period      CY                          Units:         Metric Tones

  Exports for:     2001                                       **2002**

  U.S.             0                           U.S.           0

  Others                                       Others         

  France           4705                        Netherlands    6840

  Netherlands      4504                        France         5169

  Germany          3502                        Germany        3947

  Italy            1271                        UK             1151

  Austria          1080                        Belgium        1071

  UK               675                         Italy          892

                                               Austria        863

                                                               

                                                               

                                                               

  Total for Others 15737                                      19933

  Others not       3070                                       2529
  Listed                                                      

  Grand Total      18807                                      22462
  ---------------- --------------------------- -------------- ------------

  ---------------- --------------------------- -------------- ------------
  **Import Trade                                              
  Matrix**                                                    

  **Country**      Spain                                      

  **Commodity**    Frozen Strawberries                        

  Time Period      CY                          Units:         Metric Tones

  Imports for:     2001                                       **2002**

  U.S.             0                           U.S.           0

  Others                                       Others         

  Morocco          6911                        Morocco        10517

  Belgium          221                         France         284

  Germany          86                          Belgium        230

                                                               

                                                               

                                                               

                                                               

                                                               

                                                               

                                                               

  Total for Others 7218                                       11031

  Others not       128                                        132
  Listed                                                      

  Grand Total      7346                                       11163
  ---------------- --------------------------- -------------- ------------