Green asparagus is one of the most vibrant crops in the Southern Highlands. The area devoted to this crop has increased steadily in the last decade. Up until last season, the asparagus were stored in a small warehouse building in the village of Ribera Baja. However, this year, producers are storing it in a warehouse in Llano de Mazuelos that was built by the Santo Domingo de Silos cooperative. The asparagus harvest began about two weeks ago in the region. However, producers haven't harvested much volumes yet because of the cooler temperatures. The season will last until the end of next June.
Despite the change in location, the warehouse will provide the same service it used to in Ribera Baja: it will receive the product from the producers and store it until it is transported to the province of Granada. The warehouse opens in the afternoon. Last December, council members said the warehouse would create twenty to thirty jobs through part of the year; something that has not happened so far.
The construction of the building was awarded a year ago for 357,537 Euro plus VAT. The area of the plot in question is bigger than 2,500 square meters. The initiative was included in the City Council's plan to build warehouses in Llano Mazuelos so they could be rented to companies, thereby creating jobs and stimulating the area. The other two warehouses built so far were rented to firms in the plastics sector, specifically Flexia Films and Elemar Packaging. This year, the budget includes making new investments to increase these spaces in the municipal park.
Asparagus continues to grow in the area. Producers grow it in irrigated and rainfed lands. This crop is increasing in the area because of the acceptable prices it has achieved in recent years, which are much higher than, for example, cereal prices. Many of the producers belong to a cooperative based in the municipality of Loja. Other producers market their asparagus on their own. One of the advantages of this activity is that it is totally complementary to olive production, as its production requires attention in the time when the olive crops need little care.
Source: diariodejaen.es