Agromediterránea, the company specialized in growing and selling vegetables straight from the field and a member of Grupo Alimentario Citrus, has started its corn season for the domestic and international markets.
Agromediterránea has implemented projects to improve efficiency, spur innovation, and enhance sustainability in growing corn in greenhouses, while also adapting the way of working directly the field. These projects have allowed the company to move its corn season up to May in order to meet all its customers’ demands.
In the summer, the harvest is then taken to open-air farms in the highlands of the provinces of Murcia and Albacete. The different climate conditions in the inner part of the Iberian peninsula help to extend corn season, and allow the company to provide service to customers until November.
Agromediterránea sells fresh corn in major distribution chains in Spain and exports the rest to countries throughout Europe, overall reaching a total of more than 10,000 points of sale.
Last year (2019), Agromediterránea sold nearly 2,300 tonnes of corn, grown on 132 hectares, distributed over both open fields and in greenhouses in the areas of Campo de Cartagena, Yecla, Calasparra (Murcia), and Albacete. The extended 2019 season with the crop grown in protected conditions received a warm welcome, so the company has decided to restart it for the 2020 season.
Continuous improvement and innovation guide the work in the field
To meet its commitment to the environment, Agromediterránea always plans its production by seeking out the most suitable locations for its crops based on the time of the year to achieve maximum efficiency and sustainability. Appropriate scheduling makes it possible to adapt to consumer trends and make the best use of harvests and reduce waste in the field.
Growing corn in greenhouses leads to several improvements compared to open-field farming. On the one hand, the cycle is shorter and offers higher yields, around 15-20% higher, to make better use of the soil. Since the crop is protected, we can also use about 15-20% less pesticide compared to open-air farming. These objectives are the framework of the company’s Zero CUCURBITA programme, which seeks to make an even more efficient use of fertilisers and pesticides.
Fresh, healthy, and ready-to-eat products
As a specialist in growing and selling corn, Agromediterránea is committed to offering solutions adapted to current consumer trends and to the needs and demands of the domestic and international markets, along with various options for presentation and packaging.
Furthermore, in order to provide added value with easier-to-eat products, corn is being pre-shucked and packaged into two-unit trays. That way, consumers can simply pick up corncobs ready to place on the grill or as a side dish to other meals. This means that not only is the freshest product offered, 100% of the product is usable.
Complete product and supply solutions
Agromediterránea has a wide range of more than 30 varieties of lettuces, vegetables, and aromatic herbs. Its own BIO Sun&Vegs brand offers a line of organic products to give solutions to a booming consumer segment.
In addition to agricultural products with the highest quality and freshness, Agromediterránea develops global solutions adapted to the needs of each customer and market, offering everything from differentiated product formats and packaging to specialised distribution and logistics services. Over 500 product references are prepared in its processing centre located in Dolores de Pacheco (Murcia), each adapted to different formats, packaging, and weight.
The company also offers formats and specific products for channels such as Food Service, and crops directed towards the processing industry, with baby leaf varieties such as red and green Batavia lettuce, lollo rosso, rocket, spinach, lamb’s lettuce, among others.
Agromediterránea distributes its products in both domestic and international supermarket chains and is present in 25 markets across Europe.
For more information:
Agromediterránea
www.agromediterranea.com