Twenty-two years ago, after working for more than a decade in an important garlic cooperative in the Spanish region of La Mancha, and seeing the growing competition from dried garlic imported from China, Miguel Antonio Olivares decided to take a step in a different direction in the garlic industry and founded what is now La Olma.
"Since then I have specialized in the cultivation of green garlic, or garlic bulbs. The most traditional green garlic production area is in the Mediterranean arc; more specifically, in the Region of Valencia, where it is largely consumed, and here in Cuenca, a traditional garlic production area, where I differentiate myself by focusing on green garlic. In general, the cultivation areas of the Levant deliver some production to the market in spring. I stand out by offering green garlic all year round."
"In fact, I have been working for 21 years with El Corte Inglés, Ahorramás, La Despensa, or Mercadona, and since last September, also with Carrefour. We have also served some renowned chefs in Spain, such as Martín Berasategui."
The secret behind this vegetable is that you work with two botanically different species, although of the same genus, depending on the time of the year: Allium sativum is produced from January 1 to June 30, and Allium porrum from July 1 to December 31, says Miguel Antonio. "This year, we are going to have to switch from one to the other early, unlike last year, when problems with the garlic production and in the market resulted in us continuing to work with Allium porrum until January."
"It is a crop that requires a lot of manual work. I myself have 12 permanent people on staff, and it is true that there are increasingly fewer workers available. All this somewhat hinders its production and I would say that the crop is losing ground. However, for many months many supermarket chains are in short supply. Last spring there was a shortage in February/March and large chains in Spain came looking for me to supply them." Given this demand and the generalized product shortages, "I am fully convinced that green garlic is currently a very interesting alternative for the primary sector."
"By promoting consumption, the demand would increase, and green garlic would represent an opportunity for those who are going through difficulties in their sectors. That's mostly the case for those working with dry garlic, who must deal with strong competition in the European market with the Chinese garlic that arrives via England."
"The price per kilo of the production I supply exceeds 7 Euro, which is a very good price, taking all the production costs into account," said Miguel Antonio. "What's a shame, as the buyers themselves have told me, is that when there is a shortage of product here, the green garlic is brought from Egypt, where neither the conditions of the workers nor the phytosanitary products used with the crop are the same."
In this regard, "we at La Olma would be open to working with other Spanish producers to increase our marketing volumes, keeping also in mind our increasing difficulties with the water supply. It would be great to be able to grow crops without exceeding the limits of the well concessions."
For more information:
La Olma
Polígono Industrial La Serna, parcela 11
16630 Mota del Cuervo, Cuenca, Spain
Tel.: +34 967 182 557
miguelantonio@laolma.es
www.laolma.es