La Axarquía, in the province of Malaga, Spain, has become Europe's great tropical reserve due to its special climatic characteristics. Research conducted by the Institute of Subtropical and Mediterranean Horticulture "La Mayora", a body under the Centre for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the University of Malaga, has demonstrated the perfect acclimatisation of two new tropical fruit tree species, meaning that La Axarquía is the only place in Europe where such crops are possible.
These crops are lychees and longans, two very close species, genetically speaking, grown especially in south China and the north of Vietnam and which are really demanded by Europe's Asian population. Both subtropical species also happen to be very productive crops; consequently, they are very attractive from a commercial standpoint.
La Mayora's research has made it possible to find out which varieties adapt perfectly to the area for commercial purposes, and can therefore be recommended by the Institute for their growing in the province as an alternative to avocados and mangoes, which are popular in the area, as the person in charge of the research, Iñaki Hornaza, has pointed out.
Source: Diariosur.es