Agriculture
Costa Tropical mango harvest brought forward due to high temperatures
The fruit has ripened more quickly on the Granada province coast and the subtropical fruit sector is forecasting a season with lower yields, but with excellent quality and good prospects for growers
Ideal
Granada province's Costa Tropical has already started this year's mango harvest as high temperatures this August have accelerated the fruit’s ripening. The ... harvest has started earlier than usual, with good prospects for the quality of the crop, as confirmed by Carlos Ferrón, the councillor for agriculture at Almuñécar town hall, during a visit to the El Zahorí estate.
Ferrón explained that the season will be characterised by “lower production compared to previous years, following a year in which the trees have also suffered the effects of storms”. However, he said that this year “has been very good for the recovery of the trees and that the good condition of the orchards means we can approach the start of the season with optimism, particularly given the quality of the fruit”.
According to initial industry forecasts, “this year’s harvest could amount to between 12,000 and 15,000 tonnes, compared with the approximately 36,000 tonnes achieved in previous seasons, although the final figure will depend on how the harvest progresses over the coming weeks”.
Ferrón is confident that lower production and therefore lower supply “may help to maintain favourable prices for farmers”. The first mangoes will begin their journey from the fields to the marketing companies in the coming days, where they will be sorted and packed for distribution.
The Austin variety, one of the most widely grown on the Costa Tropical, will be one of the stars of this season. This mango is particularly prized for its sweet flavour, intense aroma, lack of fibres and the distinctive red and purple hues it takes on as it ripens.
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