The Spanish artichoke production which starts in April to cover the needs of consumers during the summer has grown from about 560 tonnes in 2012 to about 1,700 tonnes in 2017; that is, the volume has tripled over the last five years. This production is intended for fresh consumption in the domestic market and is mostly grown in the fields of Zafarraya, Granada.
The price paid at origin for the vegetable has changed over the course of these months. "It started stable in late April, oscillating between 60 and 70 cents; it then fell to 35-40 cents in June, coinciding with the increase in the number of kilos produced, and rebounded between late July and mid-August to 1-1.20 Euro," explains Juan Antonio Guerrero, president of Hortoventas, an agro-food company associated to Alcachofa de España (Artichoke of Spain), which promotes the consumption of this vegetable.
Zafarraya, the only Spanish artichoke producer during the summer, is having to deal with the reduction in the supply of water from underground aquifers, from where water is extracted for irrigation, as well as with the impossibility of exporting to other countries, since two of the main consumers of this vegetable, France and Italy, have the capacity to supply themselves during the summer months. They are only able to ship the product when there is scarcity in those European countries.
Local Zafarraya growers expect the production to remain stable next year, although they fear the possibility of a slight drop. "A big drop would have a huge impact on prices and this could have dire consequences for the producers during that campaign," assures Guerrero.
The municipality of Zafarraya has a silty soil (compact and rich in minerals), as well as an ideal climate for the cultivation of hybrid artichokes, which allows them to produce at times when it is too hot in other areas (this vegetable requires cold temperatures, without reaching frost). During the day, the temperature does not exceed 35ºC, and at night it remains stable at between 16 and 18ºC.
But these conditions force them to cultivate only once each season, when in other areas, like Murcia, the Levante or Navarre, it is possible to produce more in two plantings.
The so-called "summer artichoke" is in great demand, especially in Catalonia, the Mediterranean Levante and Madrid. For restaurants located in those areas, it helps tackle the shortage happening when the growing season ends (in April-May).