The president of Proexport, Juan Marín, pointed out that no one asks them about the issue of the Mar Menor
Surprise is the word most repeated by Murcian producers and exporters of fruit and vegetables due to the
high influx of professionals to the ‘Fruit Attraction’ fair, which this year has recovered its presence at the Ifema in Madrid. There was expectation and desire. Although the figures are not the same as those of 2019, the pulse and response of the sector are positive, since there were doubts about participation and assistance after the aftermath of the pandemic. “We all wanted to face each other and the industry’s resilience has been demonstrated,” they said. After the strength shown during the Covid, expectations are favorable, especially at the start, this month, of the export campaign.
In relation to agricultural activity in the surroundings of the Mar Menor, the president of Proexport, Juan Marín, pointed out that
«Not a single client has asked us about any issue regarding the Mar Menor. I say it loud and clear. Yesterday we took advantage of the visit of the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas, to ask him to be with us and to act as an intermediary in the water problem. He told us that he will be next to all the farmers who do it well.
Regarding the fair, Juan Marín stressed the importance of this commercial and logistical event, “since people have the healthy habit of eating three times a day. We are very happy with the response of the sector in general, since a few months ago there were certain doubts about the influx and participation. In the last days and hours
many customers and commercial chains have decided to go. This year’s fair is more professional and the companies associated with Proexport are serving customers continuously; there is a lot of movement, and there was a need to interact and to reestablish relationships at this level. ‘ In the same sense, Joaquín Gómez, president of Apoexpa, whose fruit and seedless grape companies also register numerous visits.
Celedonio Buendía, commercial director of the melon firm El Abuelo, shared the same opinion. «After the year that we have been, in no way did we expect this influx of people and professionals, particularly in what concerns the Region of Murcia.
It is a real show; as in the best times». He pointed out that his sector has barely noticed a difference with the 2019 fair, and that he is even having more meetings and contacts. This is a non-stop, “he stressed.
Jose Antonio Garcia,
CEO of Ailimpo, the lemon and grapefruit interprofessional, he also showed his surprise. “There was a lot of uncertainty about the attendees, but in the end the influx is high, greater than we expected. Our experience at Ailimpo is fantastic, since this time we are developing the ‘Welcome to lemon age’ campaign together with France, Germany, the United States and Canada, with financial support from the EU ”. García added that the lemon sector continues to reap records. “In the previous campaign we had a production, export and volume record for the industry.”
The
president of the employer’s association, Croem, José Maria Albarracín, explained that the business fabric of the Region «returns to respond in an international fair so important for our fruits and vegetables. It seems that we have broken the barrier of what seemed impossible and we return to normality. A qualitative leap has been made and I hope that the commercial result is relevant ”.
López Miras takes advantage of the international fair to claim the Tajo-Segura Transfer
During his visit to the fair, the president of the Community, Fernando López Miras, took advantage of this world showcase to link the Tajo-Segura Transfer with the push of the fruit and vegetable sector and its contribution to GDP, employment and the trade balance, making an appeal in favor of the aqueduct just when this infrastructure for irrigation is at stake due to the cut that the Ministry intends to apply. “It is important that this week we also defend the Transfer, to prevent those roadmaps from other governments and other administrations that want to close an infrastructure synonymous with growth and opportunities for the Region of Murcia,” he said.
According to López Miras, irrigators and producers should be more active coinciding with the final stretch of the period of allegations to the Plan del Tajo and the increase in environmental flows in Aranjuez.
Patricia Fernández goes to support the sector outside of the official López Miras delegation
While President López Miras carefully toured the exhibitors of the Region of Murcia leading the official delegation, the mayor of Archena, Patricia Fernández, did the same but in a totally discreet way. Apart from the Community delegation, the first popular councilor visited the Ifema pavilions where Murcian firms are distributed to express their support for the fruit and vegetable sector, she told LA VERDAD, mainly the companies of the Vega Media del Segura.
At least in the morning, the paths of López Miras and Patricia did not cross. As is known, there is an internal movement of the PP around the mayor of Archena for her to present herself as an alternative to Miras.
Those who did accompany the president on his tour were the mayor of Cartagena, Noelia Arroyo, and the vice mayor Ana Belen Castejón, as well as the first mayor of San Javier and general secretary of the PP, José Miguel Luengo, who came to support the companies and cooperatives of Campo de Cartagena. These have a prominent presence in ‘Fruit Attraction’, many linked to Proexport and Fecoam.
The president of the Community of Irrigators of Campo de Cartagena, Manuel Martínez, highlighted the participation of producers and exporters in one of the most important fairs in the sector. Likewise, the president of the Port of Cartagena, Yolanda Muñoz, presented the project she is developing with exporters to transport fresh products to the United Kingdom, and hopes to open another line to the Middle East.
On this day of the fair, the leaders of Vox Pascual Salvador and José Ángel Antelo also attended.
The pavilion that welcomes the companies of the Region in this international fair is one of the most visited by professionals.
.