Business opportunities Figs in Romania | Balkan Development Support

5 July 2021 • Investments

Figs in Romania

Traditionally, the recommended areas for figs plantations have been those from South and South-West of the country: Drobeta Turnu Severin, Svinita, Coronini, Timisoara, Moldova Veche, Tismana, also in Dobrogea – Mangalia, Sfantu Gheorghe . These are areas with a climate close to the Mediterranean one, with milder winters and sunny summers.

E.g. Nowadays, the largest plantation of figs in Romania is in Șvinița and it has 3.000 trees . This village has a festival dedicated to figs, and the local products made out of figs, like figs alcoholic drink (“țuică de smochine”) and figs gem.

The peak of the annual harvest in Mehedinti County, in areas like Svinita, reaches 3 tons per hectare . By comparison, according to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Extremadura, the largest acreage of figs in Spain, has an average production of 1,1 tons per hectare , but also a peak of 5 tons per hectare , probably in case of irrigated & intensive plantations.

There are two harvesting timeframes in Romania, the first one in July and the second one between September – October , which is also the most significant.

What is new?

Also traditionally, people used to have figs in many other areas of Romania, but in small figures and only for family consumption. During the winters the younger trees had to be covered for protection against the cold.

What is new is that, according to multiple sources, the areas where figs plantations have been established are now extended to counties such as Ialomita , Ilfov, Dolj , Prahova and Buzau. Most recent examples are Ilfov (300 trees) and Buzau (400 trees) , both plantations being established in 2021, by private entrepreneurs.

The most plausible explanation for this slow but consistent switch resides in the global warming which affects Romania as well.

According to the Romanian National Meteorological Administration , the annual temperatures cycle is different now from the one registered between 1961-1990, shown by the blue line, and currently the country has the one shown by the red line, considered for 1991 – 2030 timeframe. Starting with 2031, the estimated annual temperatures cycle will be the one shown by the orange line, which will last until 2060.

The growing tendency is obvious. According to entrepreneurs having figs plantations, within the past 5 winters the temperature has not been colder than -15 Celsius, constantly, which allowed them to keep uncovered the figs trees older than 3 years.

The business prospects

As mentioned in the brief overview, the annual imports of figs in the EU is 71K tons. Some part of this volume could be replaced by EU-based production, such as the future one in Romania.

There is also a growing demand for figs and derived products from the Scandinavian countries, Germany and others, which is currently met by the fast expansion of the Spanish plantations. This impetus is certain, and it reflects the growing concern the people have for their health and life expectancy.

Basically, their food habits and options are changing, or … how Ronaldo has just said: “drink water!”

Information delivered by Mrs. Bianca Stefanoiu, fig offspring producer from Peris, Ilfov County,

For more information please contact:

Balkan Development Support

Mr Julian Mares

[email protected]

+40 0763 220 112

https://balkandevelopmentsupport.ro/

Figs in Europe

Facts & figures – figs market overview

The revenue of the fig market in the European Union amounted to $431M in 2018, rising by 5.6% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers’ margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). The market value increased at an average annual rate of +1.9% from 2007 to 2018; the trend pattern remained relatively stable, with somewhat noticeable fluctuations in certain years. Over the period under review, the fig market attained its peak figure level in 2018 and is likely to continue its growth in the near future .

In September 2020, a Spanish producer stated that “the demand for figs is skyrocketing in northern Europe”, but also the following insight: “countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands or other northern European countries tend to prefer the Turkish figs because they have a better outer appearance, since they are harvested before they reach their optimum point of ripeness. Meanwhile, Spanish figs tend to have cracks in the skin, which is a sign that they have a high percentage of sugar and are ready to eat” .

The largest organic fig plantation in Europe is in Italy, and it has only 12 hectares . The largest fig plantation in Spain (not labeled as organic) has nearly 13,000 hectares .

Turkey is the world leader in fig production and consumption. With an annual production of 262,644 metric tons, the country is responsible for more than 20% of global fig output and more than half of the world's dried fig output.

Spain and Greece are two other notable Mediterranean producers, with 42,856 and 50,368 metric tons produced between them .

Figures for the EU, in 2018:

► 73K tons – production, 24K hectares – harvested area.

◄ 71K tons – imports.

Driven by increasing demand for fig in the European Union, the market is expected to continue an upward consumption trend over the next seven years. Market performance is forecast to accelerate, expanding with an anticipated CAGR of +1.5% for the seven-year period from 2018 to 2025, which is projected to bring the market volume to 129K tons by the end of 2025 .

The Spanish companies have met this trend by increasing the acreage devoted to fig cultivation.

The following proposal concerns Romania and / or Montenegro as locations for investments in future fig cultivation.

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