Huelva’s berry sector weathers a difficult season with mixed results across crops
The 2025/26 berry season in Andalusia was defined by difficult weather conditions throughout much of the production cycle, particularly between October and mid-February, when a succession of storms cut the first raspberry harvest and also affected strawberry production, while causing damage to infrastructure and polytunnels. With Spanish supply limited during those months, a larger share of harvested fruit stayed in the domestic market and in Portugal due to the quality risks associated with export, while other producing countries took advantage of reduced Spanish availability to strengthen their position in international markets.
These are the findings of the 2025/26 Berry Sector Campaign Summary, published by the Price and Market Observatory of the Junta de Andalucía, which places virtually all of Andalusia’s berry production in the province of Huelva. In 2025, the province’s protected cropping area reached 15,278 hectares and remained relatively stable compared to recent years, with a high concentration in the Condado Litoral and Costa districts. For the 2025/26 season, Andalusia recorded 6,835 hectares of strawberries, 1,850 of raspberries, and 4,850 of blueberries, representing increases of 3%, 7%, and 2.6% respectively compared to the previous season.
Strawberry production recovers from March onwards
For strawberries, improving weather conditions from the second half of March allowed production to recover progressively, and from mid-April, marketed volumes began to exceed those recorded in the same weeks of the previous season. The final balance points to a 2.9% increase in marketed volume, with total Andalusian production reaching 325,500 tonnes, up 2.5% on 2024/25. This increase in supply subsequently helped moderate prices in a market where Spanish fruit competed with product from other origins.
Between March and April, 69.3% of the season’s strawberries were marketed, and although for much of the cycle farmgate prices remained above the average of the previous three seasons, the drop recorded from the second half of March left the final average price at a level similar to 2024/25, with a reduction of 0.8%. Performance varied by format, however: strawberries in standard packs, which accounted for 81% of marketed volume, achieved an average price of €1.94/kg, down 3.8%, while specialty lines recorded an average increase of 6.7%.
Strawberry exports grow 3.2%
Andalusian strawberry exports trended upward between December and June, reaching 216,771 tonnes, up 3.2% on the previous season, with a value of €677 million, 1.7% higher. Germany accounted for 26% of the export value, followed by the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. At the same time, imports fell sharply to 1,719 tonnes, down 38%, while their value dropped 47%; Morocco was the main source of these imports.
Raspberries lose volume but improve prices
Raspberries followed a different trajectory. The autumn crop came in well below the previous season due to weather conditions, although the recovery recorded during the second crop offset a significant portion of the losses, leaving marketed volume approximately 1% below the previous year. In return, prices remained at elevated levels for virtually the entire season.
The average farmgate price for raspberries reached €8.09/kg, up 13.8% on 2024/25, and for almost the entire cycle it remained above the average of recent seasons. Exports, however, fell 6.2% in volume to 43,795 tonnes, and 4.7% in value to around €408 million. Germany remained the leading market by value, with a 30% share.
Blueberries increase production and price despite harvest delay
For blueberries, the introduction of early varieties allowed harvesting to begin promptly, although the storms reduced production from March onwards and pushed the peak harvest back to the second half of May. Despite this, marketed volume ended up 5.6% above the previous season, with total Andalusian production reaching 68,500 tonnes.
Prices also moved in a positive direction: the average farmgate price for blueberries rose to €5.47/kg, up 9.6% year-on-year, with 55.4% of marketed volume concentrated between April and May. In trade terms, however, exports fell 4.4% in volume to 68,856 tonnes and 2.6% in value, while imports grew 16% to 17,090 tonnes and 25% in value. Morocco accounted for 89% of blueberry import value.
An uneven season across crops
Overall, the season leaves a mixed picture across crops: strawberries and blueberries increased their production, raspberries closed slightly below the previous year in volume, while prices moved particularly strongly upward for raspberries and blueberries, a season shaped initially by weather and by shifts in the availability of Spanish product in European markets. Publication date: Mon 21 Sep 2026
