Although still at a very early stage, kiwi crops are flourishing in the region of Ribera in Valencia. The fruit has sparked unprecedented interest among many farmers seeking profitable products and plantations, grown in greenhouses which are starting to populate the region's landscape.
Moreover, this crop's appearance has served for the revival of land at risk of being abandoned. This trend is also visible in statistics; according to the latest survey on crop areas and yields published by the Ministry of Agriculture, which, for the first time, collects data from 2012, the amount of land dedicated to the cultivation of kiwi in the Valencia region has increased tenfold in just two years, specifically between 2010 and 2012, from 18.9 acres to 184.5.
"Many see this crop as a cost effective alternative to citrus. There's an interest in this crop mainly because of the lack of profitability of citrus and because many producers prefer not to opt for the khaki because they see that there's already too much of it. So they opt for this crop as is happening with other fruits such as some apricot varieties, nectarine and pomegranate," said Jose Francisco Sales, AVA technician (Valencian Farmers Association).
The price a kiwi producer gets is between 60 and 80 cents per kilo, while they would hardly make more than 20 cents for a kilo of oranges. That's why, like other products, kiwi can become a cost-effective alternative for citrus producers. However, one must also take into account other considerations such as the fact that its implementation requires high investments, between 24,000 and 36,000 Euro per hectare, according to reports.
Source: up - emv.com