Europe likes exotic fruits. A lot. And that is encouraging an increasingly juicy business. Only between 2018 and 2022 the value of imports grew almost 20%which connects with a trend that goes back to at least The last decade. Spain He has managed to position himself In that upward market thanks to its fields of avocados, custards, maneuver or mangoes, a fruit of the latter that is preparing to A record harvest which promises to duplicate last year thanks to a lucky mixture of droughts, spring rain and business commitment.
The news, yes, comes accompanied by some challenges.
The field reinvents. It is nothing new. Nor exclusive from Spain. As the weather changes, tastes, demand in markets and crop profitability, the fields also change. In recent years we have seen how fruits that until recently had a relatively discreet (or almost null) weight on the peninsula have gained little by little hectares: it occurred with The pistachio, The avocado, The kiwi, The papaya… And it is also happening with the handle.
Although Its origins They are in Southeast Asia, it did not reach the Canary Islands until well into the 18th century and its commercial cultivation began in Spain relatively a short time, the hoses have been opening little by little passage in the fields of Spain. Its exploitation is very recent, it began towards the 1970s in the Canary Islands and 1980 in the southeast peninsular, but now it is estimated that it covers near 6,044 hectares In the country, with a very localized crop.
Looking at Axarquía and Granada. To prosper the mango demands certain weather conditions, such as a warm climate, well drained soils and especially the absence of frost. Hence its cultivation has prospered especially in the Malaga region of the Axarquía and the Tropical Costa. According to the data handled by the Ministry of Agriculture, of the 1,180 ha Cultivated in Spain in 2007, 950 concentrated in Andalusia and 230 in the Canary Islands. Today that figure is considerably higher, although both regions remain as large producing foci.
A few days ago The country He pointed out that the hoses are already extended by 4,600 ha of the axarchy, which makes this Malaga region European epicenter of the cultivation, and 500 ha of the Costa Tropical, which also includes the coastal coast. The Canary Islands have a surface similar to that of Granada, the Valencian Community is around 25 hectares and the Region of Murcia approaches at 17.
The mango has not only gained ground. Its farmers are organized and have promoted associations and brands to gain visibility. The best examples are the Tropical Association either Tropswhich has just promoted a new advertising campaign to promote the consumption of national mango in Spain.
The harvest harvest. The most palpable result of that expansion will be seen this same campaign, when farmers hope to reach A production record In Andalusia. A few days ago the sector spoke about 35,000 tonsan interesting figure for several reasons. First because, although it is far (far away) from the millions of tons harvested every year in India, China or Thailand, Heavyweights From the mango internationally, it is a historical brand for Spain. Second, because would double the records last year.
The record fact is not explained only by the increase in hectares dedicated to mango. At stake, another or even more relevant factor enters: the weather. The current harvest has been favored by the spring rains of Malaga and Granada and the fact that the drought of recent years gave the handles a respite. “The trees are rested for the low years of a lot of drought. They have recovered and that has facilitated this explosion,” José María López points outof the Tropical Association. “In addition, we have learned to better handle irrigation and pruning.”
Why is it important? For several reasons. The most obvious is that, if confirmed, the between 30,000 and 35,000 tons will be A record For Spanish producers. The data also confirms The referential role From Spain in European production of exotic fruits, which is an opportunity for farmers in the country. “European imports of tropical or exotic have tripled in value and duplicate in volume in the last 10 years,” Remember From the Association of Avocados Producers in The newspaper.
Financial Food Point out that in a matter of a decade (between 2014 and 2024) Spanish exports shot around 75% in volume and about 174% in terms of value, which would place our country as the main producer and third supplier of tropical fruit of the European Union.
That potential explains that plots that until not long ago were dedicated to oranges or manecs are now oriented towards new crops, such as avocado. The collective calculates that only in 2023 the surface dedicated to that fleshy fruit in Spain grew by 7% until adding 23,953 hectares. Avacateros today They have overcome The 24,000 ha barrier. And as is the case with mango, its production is very localized, especially in Andalusia, although in recent years the crop It has grown too In the Valencian Community.
Opportunities … and challenges. The mango gains ground, Spain is positioned as European reference of exotic fruits and farmers have achieved that important part From its cultivation it is allocated to the national market, but that does not mean that the sector does not face challenges. There are, as the farmers themselves recalled in early September, when They regretted that good production forecasts are accompanied by something less attractive: downward prices.
According to the union of small farmers and ranchers (UPA) at the beginning of the campaign in the Malaga Axarquía and the Costa Tropical, the kilo was being paid to between 70 and 80 centsfar from the average of 1.5 euros last year. Result? Despite the best harvest they predicted a fall of € 12,600/ha with respect to last year’s campaign. The collective explains that a handle between 400 and 800 g can be paid to one euro, but below that minimum range is considered for destroy about 20% of the harvest would be in that situation.
Are there more factors? Yes. In An interview recent in The debateSantiago Sánchez, general secretary of Asaja Málaga, pointed out another handicap: although the farmers hope to enjoy “a harvest”, with a volume of merchandise that would double that of 2024 and fruits with “more than acceptable calibers”, the collective fears not to have enough template to collect the handle in time.
“It has a short and intense campaign, which requires a lot Sánchez reflectswho warns, bluntly: “Hands are missing to collect the fruit.”
Images | Tom Driggers (Flickr) and Jonathan Göhner (UNSPLASH)
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