Catalonia to reduce stone fruit area by 10%

Catalonia is to cut its peach and nectarine production by 10% to prop up market prices, which have suffered since the closure of the Russian  market in 2014. The region’s Department of Agriculture plans to eliminate 2,000 hectares, according to Fepex. The measure will also include a subsidy of €5,000 per hectare, with a maximum of three hectares per applicant and with the commitment by the producer not to replant peach, nectarine, flat or saturn peach for the next four years. The Fruit Business Association of Catalonia, Afrucat, which is part of FEPEX, welcomes the step as benefiting sales. It will lead to the removal of old, lower quality varieties from the market.