Avocados from Andalusia, Mangoes from Malaga
Spain is one of the few European countries that grows tropical fruit such as avocado and mango.
According to the trade group, Associacion Espanola de Tropicales, the subtropical microclimates of the Axarquía Malaga area and the coast of Granada are ideal for growing tropical crops such as avocados and mangoes. It says that both regions account for more than 90% of Spain’s avocado crop and more than 95% of the mango production.
According to data from the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Spain produced around 88,000 tonnes of avocadoes in 2016.
However, growers have not been able to meet the recent explosion in demand for both crops.
According to the Associacion Espanola de Tropicales, Spain accounted for 40% of all avocados sold in Europe around ten years ago. This has since dropped to 12% while consumption has increased five-fold, from 100,000 tonnes to 500,000.
The manager of Malaga-based supplier Natural Tropic, Prudencio López, told Fresh Plaza: "It is not possible to produce enough to cover the demand and there are countries like Peru or Morocco that continue planting."
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