Espárrago de Granada is looking for new areas due to the ‘depletion’ and scarcity of land in la Vega de Granada
The lack of arable land in the most traditional ‘asparagus’ districts means that Espárrago de Granada is looking for new farming areas. At the moment, the extension has started in Antequera, the earliest area, where the company has 150 hectares of the total 650 that it farms in the province. “The productions need to be regulated, but the growth is unstoppable. Many companies have increased the surface area and the plantations start to produce two or three years later. What is certain is that right now there is a surplus of produce and it is risky to continue planting,” according to the chairman of the company, José Antonio Gómez.
In Europe, other producing countries such as Italy, Greece, Germany, Holland and France, are also increasing their commitment to asparagus. Particularly the Belpaese, the influence of which is becoming noticeable in Spain due to the fact that the crops are harvested on dates that are similar to ours. “They influence the prices reaching the market. In general, the price war is affecting the whole European continent.” Part of the blame may be placed on overseas producers such as Mexico, which arrive at the market before the Spanish productions do and weaken the prices at the start of the campaign. “Consumers are no longer as keen as before because they have already seen asparagus on the supermarket shelves and this means that we don’t get the price peaks we used to have.”
2018 Campaign
During this year, Espárrago de Granada expects to obtain between 10 and 15% more production than last year, when it reached 3.5 million kilos. And the forecast for 2019 includes adding another 20% due to the increase in surface area that has been carried out in recent years.
Amongst their new features is the launch of asparagus tips in 200 gram packages that they market on customer demand, as well as the redesigning of their brand labelling (Sol de Granada, Granada Fresh and Agromesías), and the extension of the facilities and new production lines to respond to their production increase.
The second degree cooperative is made up of five first degree cooperatives: Agroláchar, Vegachauchina, Espafron, Agromesía and Espalorquiana.
