The green asparagus campaign has just kicked off in Andalusia; also in the province of Malaga, where the production is mainly concentrated in the region of Antequera. In the province of Granada, the product is synonymous with "green gold", as many of its municipalities make a living from the crop. It is a product that, apart for exceptional years, guarantees an income for the growers. Granada remains the province with the largest acreage devoted to the cultivation of this vegetable, accounting for three quarters of the total productive area of Andalusia, followed by Seville, Malaga and Cordoba.
Municipalities of the region of the Vega de Granada, such as Huétor Vega and Láchar, as well as other towns of the West, such as Salar, Loja, Villanueva Mesía, Moraleda, Montefrío, Algarinejo and Íllora, are the most important producers of green asparagus in the entire Region of Andalusia.
In Malaga, the acreage devoted to the crop exceeds 500 hectares. The province has two large producer associations that are in charge of selling the asparagus production, which will go almost exclusively to the foreign market. These associations are Horticultores El Torcal, from Antequera, and Hortícolas Sierra, from Sierra de Yeguas, which is betting on organic farming.
According to the manager of Horticultores El Torcal, Juan Antonio Romero, Malaga's asparagus campaign is still in its very early stages, so prices at origin are very high, oscillating between 3 and 3.5 Euro per kilo. As the harvest develops, these prices should gradually fall.
In the province, the harvesting campaign lasts from the second half of February or early March to late May or early June.
"The rains recorded in December and the cold temperatures in January have had a positive impact on the crop and all prospects point to a good campaign at a productive level," explains Romero, who expects the production to start growing significantly this week, along with the rising temperatures.
According to Asaja Málaga, the province's asparagus production last season amounted to around two million kilos, with a turnover of 3,740,000 Euro. The harvest was up to 30% lower due to the impact of drought. The prospects for this year are much better, because there has been more rainfall and an expansion of the acreage.
For its part, Hortícolas Sierra, after conducting several tests, has started planting a purple asparagus variety that will be harvested for the first time next year.
According to UPA Andalucía, "the acreage devoted to the crop is expected to continue growing over the coming years, mainly in the main producing provinces, as their weather, as well as their soils, is quite suited to the requirements of this vegetable."
The great advantage of this crop in the province is that almost the entire production is intended for export. According to UPA, most of these vegetables are exported to France and Germany, although they also reach Switzerland, the UK, Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy, as well as other more distant destinations, like Lithuania. "About 75 percent of Andalusia's total production is sold outside our borders," reported UPA.
According to this agricultural association, the green asparagus grown in Andalusia stands out because of its fine texture, intense green colour, as well as its head, which tends to be more closed. As a result, the product is truly appreciated in many markets.
Source: diariosur.es
