fruit

The quota established by the European Commission to be withdrawn from the market is insufficient to take pressure off the sector

Sector demands prompt action by Brussels as peach and nectarine perish-dates loom

Is life really that difficult as a vegetarian in Barcelona? We challenged the predominantly meat and fish-based Catalan cuisine through a week of discovering restaurants, organic shops and vegan eateries in the city. Ham legs tied to the ceiling do not help the perception that vegetarians would have to survive on a diet of nuts and bread, but after our search we found that Barcelona is an incredibly vegetarian-friendly city. This short guide, organised following the days of the week, will help you to know your way around it.

French farmers have been protesting against their difficulties by destroying fruit and vegetables from Spain once they entered France to supply European markets. After last weeks angriness and frustration, Catalan farmers decide to answer back by offering, for one hour, their apples and pears for free to all the cars coming from France and explaining in four different languages the reason for their action.

Each year, thousands of seasonal workers come to Lleida's fields to work picking fruit; most of them are Muslim and thus have to work during Ramadan. They claim that, despite the Ramadan being tough, this year it has been made a little easier thanks to the weather, there is "less heat than last summer" they say.

Farmers from Southern France have stopped lorries carrying Spanish fruit and vegetables across the Spanish border and have destroyed all of the produce. The Catalan Government asked the European authorities to intervene in the conflict, since the French police have not stopped the destruction. As a reaction, Catalan farmers threat to block French vehicles returning to France at the end of the month.

Despite the scientific analysis that proves the innocence of Spanish field products, the demand for vegetables and fruit, not only cucumbers, has harshly hit agriculture throughout Spain. Catalan farmers are also heavily affected, as well as fresh food shopkeepers. Farmers have to drop prices or even destroy the product as demand has plummeted, especially regarding exports. Thousands of tones of oranges are in stock in the Delta de l’Ebre and may rot if demand does not recover soon.

The Catalan Minister for Agriculture Josep Maria Pelegrí visited Berlin this week to greet the 23 Catalan companies that were exhibiting at the Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin. Catalonia has a significant fruit production industry and it exports fruit all over Europe.

A collaborative study has shown that if consumers know if fruits are acidic or sweet, fruit consumption in supermarkets may raise up to 30%. The study has also concluded that about 75% of the population prefers sweet fruit while the rest prefer acidic.

The EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) will be reformed. Catalonia wants to have a say in the future of the CAP. To do so, it is lobbying together with other European regions that lead fruit and vegetable production. A joint declaration with 10 ways to improve the sector has been agreed on.

Predictions point to harvest increases, especially in hazelnut crops, a sector looking to profit from its high-quality products.

Local cooperatives and businesses in Catalonia are working together to improve production quality of fruit in order to commercialise in the Catalan market where most of the fruit consumed is imported from abroad.