Demand for avocados in the European Union is on the rise and Valencia's production is renowned for its quality. Avocados adapt really well to citrus production areas where there is little to no risk of frosts and the region has many areas with these characteristics. It is a crop that requires very little labour, and thus production costs are not too high. The harvest period is also quite flexible, as once ripe, the fruit remains in good condition for a long while.
Juan José Hueso, head of the Fruit Growing Department of Cajamar's Experimental Station spoke of the regions suitability during the 35th Citrus Conference, held in the town of Torrent.
Hueso stressed that Spain is the EU's largest avocado producer, with approximately 10,500 hectares (mostly in the area of Malaga and Granada) and a production of around 100,000 tonnes.
Of all the subtropical varieties currently cultivated in Spain, such as avocados, cherimoyas, mangoes and medlars, the agronomist and engineer pointed out that "avocados generate the most interest and the highest expectations."
He said that cherimoyas would also be viable in the Region of Valencia, but their short post-harvest shelf-life and the need for artificial pollination make their expansion beyond Granada's coast difficult.
Other crops, like mangoes, are reaching spectacular results and have expanded considerably in recent years (there are already more than 5,000 hectares in Spain), pero they are more demanding in terms of weather conditions and only a handful of areas, mostly in Alicante, could produce them.
Source: larazon.es