Almería lettuce prices rise 12% as volumes fall in 2025/26 campaign

Almería, Spain, recorded a 12% average increase in lettuce prices during the 2025/26 season, despite a 4% drop in commercialised volume.

Almería, a leading supplier of fresh vegetables to Europe, closed the 2025/26 campaign with a 4% decrease in commercialised horticultural volumes, including lettuce, compared to the previous season. The reduction in supply was offset by a 12% rise in average prices across the sector, resulting in an 8% increase in total turnover. The price increase was driven by higher costs for fertilisers (+27%), fuel (+50%), plastics (+5%), and labour (+3.1%), as well as lower overall production. While specific wholesale prices for lettuce were not disclosed, the average price growth indicates tighter availability for European importers, including buyers in Poland.

The Spanish sector continues to face upward pressure on production costs, which has contributed to the higher prices observed in the 2025/26 campaign. Coexphal, representing 70% of Almería’s production and 80% of its exports, highlighted that the increase in prices was necessary to maintain profitability amid these rising costs. Calabacín (courgette), aubergine, cucumber, and tomato led the campaign in economic performance, but lettuce remains a key export product for the region.

In Italy, key processors such as L’Insalata dell’Orto reported ongoing investments in energy efficiency and sustainability, with over 2,700 tonnes of lettuce and leafy vegetable trimmings repurposed for biogas in 2025. Italian facilities are also transitioning to ammonia-based refrigeration systems to further reduce environmental impact. These operational changes are part of broader efforts to enhance supply chain sustainability but have not been accompanied by specific price or volume changes for lettuce exports.

The recent Cyclospora outbreak in North America, initially linked to Mexican iceberg lettuce, has raised food safety concerns in Europe. European trade associations are monitoring the situation, but no direct impact on EU lettuce imports has been reported as of late July 2026. The case has underscored the importance of strict hygiene and traceability in the lettuce trade.

Spanish price increases and reduced export volumes may affect the availability and pricing of lettuce in European markets, including Poland, potentially intensifying competition between Spanish and Italian suppliers in the region.

Material prepared by the editorial team of fresh-market.info, editor Artur Spiker