PR_MCOverview of the Industry Business Mission to Spain (Horticulture and Berry Farming) — AgroInnovation Exchange: Ukraine - Spain
🇪🇸🤝🇺🇦 The Ukrainian Municipal Economic Development Agency (UMEDA), the Mayors’ Club of Ukraine and ALLE FOOD UA – SUPER UNION, with the participation of the Ukrainian Blueberry Growers Association, organized an Industry Business Mission on Horticulture and Berry Farming to the Spanish regions of Huelva and Murcia from June 15 to 22, 2025.
Over the course of 7 days, the mission visited Murcia and Huelva — regions known for producing some of the best berries in Spain. We visited companies that grow unique varieties, capable of surprising and satisfying even the most demanding clients, and that successfully export their products abroad. We also met with two of the largest associations engaged in the production of fresh berries, stone fruits, and vegetables.
The Ukrainian Blueberry Growers Association was presented to our Spanish colleagues, and opportunities for export to the Spanish market were discussed. Additionally, the frozen berry sector was represented by ALLE FOOD UA, bringing together 7 producers from 7 regions of Ukraine.
We are committed to developing and promoting fresh, healthy, nutritious, and delicious Ukrainian products for Europe’s most discerning supermarkets and food processing industries.
📍 On the first day, the participants visited ProExport, the Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers-Exporters of the Murcia region. They learned about the association’s experience in defending the interests of the sector and striving to achieve the best results for its member companies since 1977. Discussions were held regarding the needs of ProExport’s members and potential opportunities for Ukrainian businesses. During the mission, trust-based relationships were established with partners, and future cooperation plans were agreed upon.
In Murcia, the delegation also visited Smart, one of the region’s renowned companies, as well as the high-tech greenhouse facilities of J. Huette. Recognizing the importance of developing new technologies for agriculture, J. Huette has a dedicated division focused on research, design, and the development of greenhouse structures, precision technological components, high-efficiency growing systems, and advanced parts and accessories.
🟧 J. Huette International is a designer, manufacturer, and supplier of plastic greenhouses for growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medical cannabis. With over 35 years of experience, the company has established modern, high-performance installations across the globe.
The company believes that innovation is key to overcoming future challenges. That is why we were pleased to discuss blueberry plantation frost protection solutions during our visit.
🔖 The timing and destination of the trip, specifically to the Huelva region of Spain, were strategically chosen due to the region hosting Europe’s most important annual event for berry growers – The International Red Fruit Congress, which our delegation attended. The International Red Fruit Congress has firmly established itself as a global leader in the berry industry, marked by record participation and the presence of international market leaders who showcased Huelva’s worldwide leadership in the sector.
Huelva is home to the largest berry-producing area in the European Union, specializing in strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, with a strong focus on marketing and export. For this reason, Freshuelva organizes the International Red Fruit Congress, which in 2025 marked its 10th edition. The congress has become the most significant gathering in the Huelva berry sector, bringing together producers, marketers, exporters, suppliers, and service providers active in this industry.
During the visit, we also met with some of Europe’s top plant breeders, including Fresh Forward España, who specialize in apple and strawberry breeding.
The second day of the Congress featured a less intensive program, which allowed us to visit Surexport — a premium berry producer supplying fresh and delicious strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries.
Surexport is a high-quality berry producer delivering fresh berries worldwide. The company was founded in Huelva in 1994, and with the support of Alantra PE, a leading global private investment firm, Surexport is pursuing an ambitious growth strategy. The company currently cultivates 1,600 hectares of berry crops.
At the invitation of Francisco Jose Gomez, President of the Fresh Huelva Berry Association, we visited the Cuna de Platero cooperative. The cooperative’s director, Juan Bañez, kindly gave us a tour of the facility. Cuna de Platero currently cultivates strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries on 900 hectares of land. Its commercial brands, Cuna de Platero and Berrycatessen, export 85% of their production.
We also visited BerryWorld Iberia, S.L.U., a recognized market leader. Founded in 2016 as a bridge between the Spanish grower base and BerryWorld’s technical, planning, and commercial teams, BerryWorld Spain provides technical support to its producers in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, ensuring they meet customer expectations and the BerryWorld Group’s quality standards.
In line with BerryWorld’s R&D commitments, BerryWorld Spain has a specialized research and development center focused on improving berry varieties through its own and exclusive breeding programs. The team also organizes BerryWorld Grower Days to share best practices, provide relevant updates, and offer recommendations across its regional grower network.
On the final day, we met with Juan Antonio Garcia, the Mayor of Bonares, to learn more about the local berry sector. We visited the Bonafru Bonares Cooperative, where its president, Paco Rondi, gave us a tour of the cooperative’s farms and storage facilities. Special thanks to Miguel for his attention and excellent translation support.
The Andalusian fruit and vegetable cooperative Bonafru was formed when a group of farmers from Bonares united to sell the figs they grew in the area. In September 1983, it was officially established as the cooperative it is today. Over the years, Bonafru has grown and diversified with a focus on improving quality and customer service. Its members gradually expanded strawberry production, and by around 1987, the cooperative underwent a significant leap in both quality and volume, transforming into the strawberry-focused cooperative it remains today. In addition to strawberries, Bonafru also cultivates raspberries and blueberries. The first blueberry plantations, now the cooperative’s third main crop, were added in 2010, and their growth continues. These three berry types coexist with figs in Bonafru’s facilities — the fig still plays a symbolic role, honoring the cooperative’s origins in Bonares.
🌍 This event marked an important step toward the international growth of Ukraine’s berry and horticulture industry. Ukrainian berries are a strong brand, built not only through products and services, but through a strategy that fosters trust and credibility. This was a trade mission focused on building trust in Ukraine’s horticultural and berry sectors!
Moreover, the mission saved companies valuable time and resources, significantly expanding their network of potential Ukrainian berry distributors in Spain, as well as connecting with technological leaders in the industry.
Given the importance of this initiative for Ukraine and the high demand for participation, we have decided to organize another visit in the fall, during which we will attend the Fruit Attraction global trade fair in Madrid, from September 30 to October 2, 2025. The program will include B2B meetings, along with planned visits to the greenhouse and horticulture region of Murcia and the berry-producing region of Huelva, organized for small groups of specialized companies.
In parallel, a separate initiative is underway to identify twin cities for municipalities interested in greenhouse, orchard, and open/covered berry crop projects.
👉🏻 To participate, please register via the link provided.