The acreage devoted to asparagus in the Spanish province of Granada, mainly in the Vega del Genil and the west, which amounts to approximately 6,500 hectares, accounts for about half of Spain's production, with a volume of 31,642 tonnes. The cultivation of green asparagus in the province of Granada stands out for its economic and social importance, helping curb the impact of unemployment in other economic sectors.
The crop concentrates mainly in Huétor Tájar, Illora, Moraleda de Zafayona, Fuente Vaqueros, Loja, Pinos Puente, Láchar, Chauchina, Cijuela, Villanueva de Mesías, Santa Fe, El Salar, Granada and Maracena. Asparagus take 25% of Granada's total agricultural acreage and represent 7% of the entire horticultural production.
"Two decades ago, Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias of Granada started calling for the sector's organization, encouraging the concentration of producers, to improve the marketing of a crop linked to social cohesion which provides financial resources to thousands of families in the Vega and western Granada, contributing to job creation during the months of February to June," explains Fulgencio Torres, representative for Fruits and Vegetables at Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias of Granada.
Today, as a result of these efforts, there are thirteen agricultural cooperatives, with producers and marketers of green asparagus, which together have more than 3,200 members and 4,680 hectares in production. Every year, they produce about 32 million kilos of green asparagus, alternating this crop with other vegetables, resulting in a turnover exceeding 34 million Euro.
Employment and quality
The creation of jobs between the months of February to June is as important as the value of the production itself. In recent years, this sector has gone from hiring labour at origin to having workers prioritised for the crop's harvest. More than 2.5 million daily jobs are generated, with 1,400 jobs in the handling and packing facilities of the agricultural cooperatives, with a high predominance of female employment. The crop is one of the products yielding greater social value to Granada's agricultural economy.
Over the last decade, the acreage devoted to asparagus in Granada has grown by 40 percent. This spectacular growth has been due to the work of agricultural cooperatives, which have taken advantage of the opportunities presented by exports, as a product that can be consumed for fresh and canned. This acreage expansion has sped up over the past three years, with the consequent increase in the number of producers (+8%).
The domestic market remains the main destination for Granada's asparagus. In recent years, cooperatives have made a significant commitment to research and innovation, in order to obtain higher quality varieties that were also more productive and profitable. Such diversification and specialisation, together with the marketing work carried out by the cooperatives, has attracted the interest of clients in countries such as Austria, the UK, Italy and the Nordic countries.
Reaching more European consumers with a quality product is the main goal of the cooperatives. "European customers value the quality and freshness of our asparagus compared to the production of other countries, the early start of the campaign, our proximity to European consumers and logistical capacity, as well as our compliance with health standards and use of environmentally-friendly production systems, with the added value of our promotion of good social conditions," explains Fulgencio Torres.
Differentiated quality
In 1996, the asparagus of Huétor Tajar (Verdemorado variety) was granted a PGI by the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Government of Andalusia. In 2000, the Protected Geographical Indication Espárrago de Huétor Tajar was included in the Region's register of Quality Protected Geographical Indications.
The Cooperative Centro Sur (Huétor Tájar) is the only PGI-awarded Verdemorado producer which markets its produce in Germany, Italy, France, Norway, Switzerland, Portugal, the Netherlands or Belgium, among other countries. This is a highly nutritional variety, with different types of saponins and flavonoids, which have proved effective against cholesterol and tumours. In the market, this protected geographical indication provides differentiation and quality and an attractive value for international customers.
Overseas promotion
The cooperatives seek new business opportunities at horticultural fairs for their growing asparagus production, with a special interest in consumers in the Nordic countries, which are considered demanding buyers that value high quality. Recently, the asparagus cooperatives took part in Fruit Logistica, held in Berlin, with good business results, and they are already preparing their participation in the next edition of Fruit Attraction, which will be held in Madrid from 28 to 30 October. Additionally, this April, the PGI Espárrago de Huétor Tájar will participate in an event for the promotion of food products to be held in Brussels, organised by the Federation in partnership with the Government of Andalusia.
Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias of Granada supports these actions intended to boost the consumption of local agricultural products and promote their benefits and guarantees compared to products from other countries. Green asparagus is said to be an essential part of the local gastronomy, differentiated by its quality and nutritional value. It is rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and folic acid, and has a diuretic and depurative effect.
Future of the sector
Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias of Granada is committed to a more effective concentration of supply to gain marketing power and to a more direct relationship between producers and consumers. There must also be a commitment to investing in research and innovation, for competitive varieties, for cultivation methods that ensure quality and for the use of attractive packaging that can optimise the product's conservation.
Source: ValenciaFruits
