Less than two kilometers from the ocean, in an adverse climate, a producer from the Carazo department in Nicaragua is mastering the production of citrus in the country. He currently harvests some 70,000 native limes a week, to be sold in the national markets.
Citrus fruits generally grow best in warm, but not torrid, climates. However, Raul Barbarena, an industrial engineer, has managed to get around that rule. His farm, El Limonal, located in the hot and arid community of Tupilapa, has become known for its outstanding production. Barbarena himself has been recognized for his excellent, environmentally-friendly methods, amid the 3,359 citrus producers in the Central American region.
In terms of marketing, he indicated: “We can’t produce too many limes, because right now for example, during the rainy season, everybody is harvesting limes, so we can only sell at a low price. The other part we give away. During the pandemic, we gave limes away to the hospitals, the old age homes, the schools,” he concluded.
Source: havanatimes.org