Spain’s plum cultivation has witnessed a notable decline over the past 15 years, with acreage shrinking from over 20,000 hectares in 2007 to 13,245 hectares in 2022. Despite this overall decrease, regions like Aragon have bucked the trend, maintaining stable or even positive growth in production, particularly since 2014, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The year 2014 marked a pivotal moment for the stone fruit industry, particularly in Aragon. Since then, the region has experienced a 24.5% expansion in acreage, surpassing 1,300 hectares, thanks to the efforts of companies like Jardinfruit.
Felipe Raga, representing Jardinfruit, shared insights into their plum cultivation, located in the municipality of Sabiñán within the Calatayud region of Zaragoza. “Our orchards comprise various green varieties, including the Claudia Reina and Claudia Tolosa, as well as red-skinned varieties like the Arandana, President, and Anna Spath.”
Raga explained that this year’s crop was unique due to varying fruit setting across the different varieties. While the Claudia Reina faced challenges with fruit setting during flowering, resulting in reduced yields, the other varieties performed well, boasting good calibers and substantial volumes.
Jardinfruit primarily distributes its produce through Mercamadrid and Mercabarna, with a focus on national markets. Raga acknowledged the challenges of August, a month often plagued by slow sales due to summer holidays. However, the company remains optimistic about the coming months, expecting sales to pick up in September. They plan to supply the market with plums until almost the beginning of November, contributing to the resilience and growth of plum cultivation in the Aragon region.
