During a tour and subsequent press conference at the Central Market which drew over 30 journalists, Mr Carnes revealed certain aspects related to the higher offer of Catalan fruit in the summer and discussed Catalonia’s star products.

Also present at the event were Montserrat Gil de Bernabé, managing director of Mercabarna, Joaquim Ros, Markets and Promotion manager, and Casimiro Llorens, chair of the Fruit and Vegetable Wholesalers Guild of Barcelona and Province (AGEM).

13% of the fruit throughout the year comes from Catalonia. “In the summer, this figure rises to around 20%, thanks to the many varieties grown in Catalonia during the summer season, such as the plum, peach, pear, cherry and so on,” Mr Carnes said. He also had high praise for the quality of local produce and insisted on the importance of consuming fruit and vegetables as a vital part of the Mediterranean diet.

Constant growth of the fruit and vegetable sector
Montserrat Gil de Bernabé announced that, in 2007, the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market sold 1,097,800 tonnes, 1.1% more than the previous year. This indicates that Mercabarna’s fruit and vegetable sector is continuing its steady growth trend of the past decade. Fruit and vegetable turnover has gone up 32% since 1998.

Place of origin, seasonal factors and price
Aside from the place of origin of fruit and vegetables, attendees expressed particular interest in two related issues: prices and the seasonal factors that affect produce. Messrs Casimiro and Ros explained the interrelation of place of origin, seasonal factors and price, pointing out that the Central Fruit and Vegetable Market now receives produce from all over the world in an effort to meet consumer demand.