Finca La Palma, of brothers José Antonio (Tonono) and Juan Miguel Gil, is one of the most important strawberry farms in Valsequillo, with five and a half hectares of arable land and an average of twenty people employed, although this figure doubles during the campaign. "The plantings start on 5 October and the production peaks in April and May, although there is fruit since January and the cycle comes to an end in July. There is both summer and winter fruit, although the best strawberries are the winter ones. The summer strawberries hardly have any taste," says Juan Miguel Gil.
Gil complains about the lack of rainfall. "This year, the plants' development is quicker because of the temperatures. This plant is a month old and see how it already has flowers. This is not normal. We will already have fruit for Christmas."
Strawberries usually do better from February. "This year, we will start harvesting on 25 December. In 25 days, there will already be edible strawberries. In January, there will be some more; in February, the production volume will increase, March is already spectacular and April is amazing. Then the ground becomes red with all those strawberries."
Aurelina Martel, owner of Strawberries Valsequillo, acknowledges that the hot weather and the absence of rain are harming the fruit. "The weather is taking a big toll on the plants, which become productive earlier than they should. The fruit ripens badly and sizes are smaller. The plant may be yielding up to 15% less because of the lack of rainwater."
Source: laprovincia.es
