If the farmers of the south-east of the peninsula do not lack “enemies” (drought, suppression of the Tajo-Segura transfer, unfair extra-European competition), one could now say that they have shot themselves in the foot, by denouncing that the anti-parasitic trip from South Africa to the imports ruined their harvest molar grenade.
In fact, this fruit seems to be insect-proof, as it has hardly been attacked by any evil.”scars in the crust”, but this does not affect its flavor or the grains inside, with a quality for consumption, as they have clarified since Asaja Alicante.
According to him, “the Mollar de Elche Granada Designation of Origin has been too alarmist: although it is true that some fruits only show damage in their appearancenot all present themselves in the same way aesthetic deterioration“There are some with more or less stains and they all have optimum quality inside.”
This scourge of insects (Scirtothrips aurantii) which comes from Africa and Yemen It arrived in Spain in 2020 and this year it was detected for the first time in the Valencian Community. It has affected several crops such as citrus and the pomegranate, in this case, with those gray rings that extend, to varying degrees, but “which in no way alter the flavor, quality or properties of the fruit,” have abounded.
Faced with this situation, this agricultural organization organized last week a meeting with representatives of the supermarkets of the Valencian Community to ask them to continue betting on the molar grenade and not to get carried away by the “alarmism“, especially since producers will already suffer losses due to a harvest reduced by 60% in volume.
At this meeting, where the president of the association was present, Jose Vicente AndreuAccompanied by some members of the board of directors, the representatives of the supermarket also distinguished the different degrees of aesthetic condition of the stains and corroborated their validity. “We opened several grenades for them so that they could try them and verify that they are still as good,” they detailed.
Fortunately, after this meeting, they have committed to absorbing the production, mainly that which seems best, since the beginning of the pomegranate campaign is very positive and there will be no problem in giving it a commercial outlet. “They will support us and this is very good news,” Andreu announced. “We must stop throwing stones at each other from within the sector,” he stressed.
Without bad intentions, but in a “particular context such as the current one”, the statements on this scourge may have an impact in a reduction of the price at or below the cost of production. Furthermore, it is also essential to “label with the seal of DOP quality to ensure the continuity of this confidence that the consumer feels,” Andreu said.
And above all, “the consumer must know that he will find fresh, quality pomegranates on the shelves of supermarkets, and that he will keep his intact properties despite slight changes in its appearance.
