Prickly pear is a fruit that is generally harvested in summer, but there are also companies, like Don Chumbito, in the Spanish region of Murcia, that are able to obtain it also during the rest of the year, and which will spread their supply to meet the market's demand.
"We stand out by producing prickly pear out of season. From September to June, we produce more than one million kilos each year. In winter, when the sun doesn't come out, production stops completely and volumes decrease, so it is in spring when we have our biggest production," says María del Carmen Pérez, manager of Don Chumbito. "We specialize in the orange-fleshed variety, because it is the sweetest and has the lowest amount of seeds." 
© Don Chumbito
"In Spain, prickly pear is very popular in the regions of Andalusia and Murcia, and also somewhat in Extremadura, but not in others. However, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Israel are very fond of the fruit. We even supply our prickly pears to some royal houses," says the manager. "This is something that took a lot of effort."
"Although it is a desert plant, in the summer, it needs a good supply of water to produce quality, sweet, and juicy fruit. The harvest is a delicate process; we go one by one, taking care to prevent the skin from breaking," says the manager.
© Don Chumbito
A traditional technique
"We make use of a traditional technique that allows us to obtain a late prickly pear at the end of August. Thanks to this technique, we are on the market when there is a lower supply. Others normally start in mid-July, and the fruit ripens all at the same time, so there is usually a large quantity all at once," says the manager.
"It is said that around the day of San Antón, a big storm came and knocked all the prickly pears to the ground, and they discovered that it started to bear fruit again. Since then, the technique has been applied to extend the prickly pear campaign and make it last until the end of November in Murcia," says the manager.
"Prickly pears can be kept in storage for up to four months, although this is not ideal. You get the best quality after around 25 days in storage, as long as you apply the right knowledge in terms of harvesting and handling."
© Don Chumbito
A new variety on the horizon
"Due to the threat of mealybugs, you can't neglect the plantation for a single day. It is an insect that you have to look for and eliminate one by one. The issue is that the plant is a succulent; that is to say, it doesn't transpire, so it doesn't lose water and does not assimilate phytosanitary treatments, so the insect does not die. The pest has thus never ceased to be a constant threat," says the manager.
"We are researching the development of a new prickly pear variety that will give the fruit greater resistance against the mealybug, in addition to being very sweet. We are in the plant's multiplication phase, and we hope to be able to offer it to the market in a few years," says the manager.
For more information:
María del Carmen Pérez
Don Chumbito
Tel.: +34 616 23 82 04
[email protected]
www.donchumbito.com
