Spain increased its watermelon imports by almost ninefold in just five years

Fresh Plaza

According to a study on Spanish watermelon imports prepared by the Coordinator of Organizations of Farmers and Ranchers (Coag) of Almeria, the country has increased the volume imported by almost 9 times during the last five years, going from 10,572 tons in 2014 to 88,603 from last year.

The study highlights that the entry of this product coincides with the exit of the first watermelons grown in Europe, which are from Almeria, and which are expected this year in April.

“Importers and distribution chains concentrate the bulk of their imports between March and June (88% of the total) to force prices down at the beginning of our campaign and maintain an artificial tension that decreases the profitability of our production,” stated Andres Gongora, the head of Coag’s fruit and vegetable sector, and provincial secretary of the agrarian organization in Almeria. That import period coincides with the province’s production period.

Morocco is the leading supplier of watermelons and accounted for 81% of all the watermelon imported in 2020. It was followed at a great distance by Senegal (10%), and Brazil (1.8%). This product pays no tariffs to enter the European Union thanks to the trade agreements between the EU and Morocco. “We denounced it at the time,” said Gongora. “It is a breeding ground for speculation by Euro-Moroccan multinationals. We end up fattening the bottom line of a few at the cost of sacrificing the future of our farmers.”

“There is an unfair competition from third countries because they don’t have to comply with the same high food safety, environmental protection, and workers’ social rights standards that European producers must follow,” Gongora stated.

Domestic product
The agrarian organization has asked the purchasing centers to firmly commit to the national product at the beginning of the campaign, avoiding unnecessary imports that only bring down the of value the product.

“It’s false that distribution chains have to resort to imports because there is no product here,” Andres Gongora stated. According to the provincial secretary of Coag in Almeria, “Spain produces enough watermelons to supply the different markets. They are healthier and safer for consumers and more beneficial for the planet thanks to the high production standards of the European model,” he added.