Agrícola Navarro de Haro is going through one of the most ambitious moments in its history. The family-owned company, based in Palomares (Almería), has begun construction of new facilities involving an investment of €12 million that will radically transform its operational capacity.
“For us, this means being able to continue growing in the marketing of all our products, especially watermelon. From a family perspective, it represents one of our greatest challenges, as we are clearly committed to the future of our company,” explains managing director José Navarro.
Construction works are already underway and will cover a total surface area of 12,200 m², including: 5,000 m² for packing, 1,500 m² for cold storage, 1,000 m² for unloading, 3,000 m² for packaging materials, and 1,700 m² for offices and services.
The new facility will feature three watermelon packing lines with a combined capacity of 100,000 kg/h and will employ around 150 workers.
60 million kilos this season
For the current season, the company has planned around 60 million kilos of watermelon, slightly below the initially forecast 65 million kilos, due to space constraints during the construction transition. Production will be split between the main facilities in Palomares and a new line set up in Cuevas del Almanzora.
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“We have had to make some adjustments to farms and locations due to rainfall, but so far we are following the plan,” says Navarro. The managing director remains optimistic about the season: “I expect it to be a great watermelon campaign, with warm weather to ensure steady consumption and high-quality fruit.”
Half a century in the sector
This expansion coincides with a milestone of great personal significance for the company: José Navarro celebrates 50 years in the fruit and vegetable sector. A half-century journey that began with a blue BH bicycle, continued with a Puch Cobra motorbike and a Renault R8 travelling across Spain, and soon led him to cross borders without speaking foreign languages, “eating by eye and going through very tough times,” he recalls.
Today, far from considering retirement, he feels “better than ever, with more energy and motivation to keep working, innovating and helping the company grow”.
His family describes him as a passionate individual capable of transmitting that energy to those around him— a passion that, decades later, remains the driving force behind Agrícola Navarro de Haro.
