Almuñécar, located on the coast of Granada, produced 45,000 tons of cherimoya this year, slightly exceeding the production volumes of previous seasons. The cultivated area and annual production have been remarkably stable with an average yield of 15,000 kilos per hectare between August and June. This is the longest season we've had so far, stated Carlos Ferrón, Almuñécar's Councilor for Agriculture.
In a press release issued by the City of Almuñécar, Ferrón highlighted the relevance of this tropical fruit for the local economy and congratulated the farmers for their achievements in a campaign marked by climate challenges. Antonio Rodriguez, president of the Chirimoya de la Costa Tropical de Granada-Málaga PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), said marketing abroad had increased by 10 to 18 percent. Portugal, France, Germany, and Italy were the main markets and there's a growing interest from the Arabian Peninsula.
Distributing production in different commercial windows has been key to this season's success. 72% of production was concentrated in winter and the remaining 28% in spring, a period in which prices are better and stand at nearly one euro per kilo. Cherimoya is a very exclusive fruit grown on the coast of Granada, especially in Almuñécar, Salobreña, and Motril, its main cultivation area. 99% of the cherimoya marketed is of the Fino de Jete variety.
Ferrón and Rodríguez stressed the importance of having an adequate irrigation infrastructure and the need to overcome climate uncertainty to ensure the future of this unique product, which is an economic engine for Andalusia and brings a unique landscape richness to the Tropical Coast of Granada.
Source: europapress.es