The fruit and vegetable sector in El Ejido is entering a critical phase of the spring season, with watermelon and melon taking center stage. The first watermelon harvests are expected in the coming weeks and will be the first fruits of European origin to reach the market this season.
Mayor Francisco Góngora, together with Agriculture Councilor Manuel Martínez, visited José Antonio Herrera's greenhouse, one of many local producers preparing to start harvesting soon. The visit also included Paco Peralta, a seasoned watermelon cutter with over forty years of experience.
This season, El Ejido is expecting a total production of 240 million kilos of watermelon and melon. The cultivation area has expanded by approximately 5%, now covering about 2,200 hectares for watermelon and 2,600 hectares for melon. This growth is evident not only in the volume but also in the quality, according to the initial harvests.
The mayor is confident that the weather in the destination markets will be favorable, enabling growers to achieve a return aligned with their efforts and close the season on a positive note, supporting their ongoing progress.
He also emphasized that agriculture remains the municipality's primary economic driver, highlighting the sector's focus on research and innovation as key pillars for sustaining its leadership in quality and sustainability.
Source: aenverde.es
