Andalusia currently has approximately 150,000 hectares for the production of almonds, making it the second most extended woody crop, after olives. As stated by councillor Elena Víboras on a visit to the cooperative Almendrera del Sur (Almensur) in Cártama, Málaga, their average production has reached 40,000 tonnes in the past five years.
The province of Granada is the largest almond producer in the region, with an average of 21,000 tonnes in the last five years, followed by Almeria, with 11,000 tonnes, and Malaga, with 3,800 tonnes. These data consolidate Andalusia as Spain's largest producer, followed by Aragon and Murcia.
During her visit to Almensur, Víboras explained that the cooperative receives the production of 1,600 associates, including 45 companies across all provinces of Andalusia, with 50 percent of the surface in Granada and 36 percent in Malaga. In total, the cultivated almond acreage of all partners amounts to 5,884 hectares.
The cooperative employs 50 people and has a turnover of 15 million Euro. The sale of almonds includes all processed variations, from almond oil to flour and rolled pastry, as well as the shell as a by-product. Nowadays, nearly 70 percent of its production is intended for export.
The facilities are located on 17,400 square metres, with a floor area of 7,000 square metres. In addition to the building, the facilities include lines of cracking, re-peeling and selection, with a processing capacity of 20 million kilos. Approximately 20 percent of the almonds used are organic.
Source: juntadeandalucia