Früchte Widmann starts the winter season on a positive note:

“Spanish strawberry harvest begins about 10 days earlier”

As the new strawberry harvest begins in the Mediterranean region, the early signs are relatively good. The quality of the plants is impressive across all origins. Greece continues to expand its premium and early-season production, while Egypt relies on proven varieties and strong producers. Meanwhile, Spain is starting earlier than usual, reports the purchasing team at Früchte Widmann, a southern German berry specialist.

Comparison of bare-root plants and potted plants in 75, 125, and 250 cc. Potted plants are the foundation for the early start to the season.

Greece: Early start with potted plants
The planting phase in Greece took place under optimal conditions, with moderate temperatures around 20 °C and light rain. The strawberry acreage is growing by about 3% to a total of 2,900 ha—significantly less than in previous years, when acreage expanded by 10 to 15%. Früchte Widmann works with growers in Greece who collectively account for about 65% of the country’s strawberry acreage. “For the early season, the area dedicated to potted plant cultivation is growing from around 50 ha to 150 ha. The first fruits could be available starting in mid-November, provided the weather remains favorable,” according to the purchasing team.

In the premium segment, Früchte Widmann is expanding production to 68 ha (2025: 35 ha). With an additional 10 ha dedicated to rack cultivation, Früchte Widmann is the leader in Greece for this growing system. 100% of the premium strawberries produced in Greece are marketed through Früchte Widmann. In addition, all Greek truck transports will be equipped with temperature and GPS trackers this year. This ensures transparency regarding location and the cold chain at all times. “With this expansion in Greece, we are strengthening our premium position and ensuring our customers have early access to top-quality produce. That is precisely why we work with our partners,” said Stefan Höpfl, Managing Director of Herbert Widmann GmbH (Früchte Widmann) and responsible for the strawberry product group.

Left: Greenhouses with young strawberry plants on substrate bags. Planting continues through the end of October. Right: Flowering strawberry crop in the greenhouse. The plants are nearing the start of harvest.

Egypt: Stabilizing volumes in the fresh market
Planting in Egypt began in mid-September, and the assessment so far is positive. There are no significant changes to the main varieties. New varieties are being tested on smaller plots. Following a challenging previous season, the cultivation area will decrease by about 30% compared to last year, as some smaller and newer farms have ceased operations. Large, long-established producers are keeping their acreage largely stable. As a result, volumes in the fresh market are expected to remain relatively stable.

Spain: First fruits around 10 days earlier
In Spain, planting has been underway since early October and is expected to be completed by October 30. Plant quality is reported to be consistently good. However, high temperatures during the planting phase—above 30 °C during the day and around 18 °C at night—have put a strain on the plants. As of this week, temperatures have returned to the seasonal average of around 22 °C. “The first fruits could arrive about 10 days earlier than usual but will initially be sold on the domestic market. The coming weeks will show how well the plants recover,” the company stated.

The area planted with strawberries was expanded only slightly. In the premium segment, Früchte Widmann is working with new Spanish suppliers who have experience with 12 × 400-g packages as well as 900-g and 1-kg wooden crates. The suppliers primarily focus on one main variety, supplemented by other premium varieties. Höpfl: “This main variety is particularly popular in the German target market. The berries are uniform in size, have a consistently good flavor throughout the season and a longer shelf life compared to standard varieties.”

Left: On-site inspection in the greenhouse: strawberry crops in a polytunnel on growing medium. Right: Young strawberry plant with buds

Confidence at the start of the winter season
Plant quality is consistently good across all origins: propagation in Segovia (central Spain) took place under very good conditions, and the plants arrived in the growing regions in excellent condition. Früchte Widmann is thus starting the winter season with confidence. When it comes to volumes, a distinction must be made between origins and production systems. Greece (weeks 46/47) and Egypt (weeks 47/48) will kick off the season. “We’re starting the winter season with good plants, strong partners, and a clear plan. We’re confident that we’ll continue to supply our customers with strawberries they can rely on this winter as well,” Höpfl concludes.