WHY SOUTHERN SPAIN IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO GROW BERRIES IN EUROPE

The consumption of berries is trendy and to be true it is a very healthy trend! Consumers, increasingly concerned about the importance of maintaining a well-balanced and healthy diet, know the benefits of regular consumption of fresh or treated berries.

Data does not lie berry sales statistics point up.And everything indicates that it will continue to grow in the coming years. This includes new consumers who join this fashion in already consolidated markets, such as European or Asian, but also new markets, such as Arab countries.

In this environment of growth, companies producing and exporting red and black fruits have had to find the best places to grow berries in new fields. Producers are looking for new places to grow berries in Europe and North Africa, searching for the best conditions to get good quality products.

In fact, one of the most popular places to grow berries is southern Spain, which brings together the best features in Europe to produce delicious berries.

Do you know any place in Europe better than Spain for growing berries?

Upon joining the terms red fruits and southern Spain, it is easy to think of strawberry. Strawberries have been grown in Andalusia for decades, and then exported to Spain, Europe and the rest of the world. In the tradition of strawberry cultivation there is one of the reasons that makes southern Europe a privileged place to grow other berries. Tradition and experience in the cultivation of strawberries in Andalusia it is a good base on which to settle the cultivation of blackberries, blueberries, currants or raspberries, as the requirement and conditions of these berries are quite like strawberries.

One of the reasons why cultivation of berries is so profitable in the area is because it is a privileged region, in which different microclimatic situations occur. The microclimatic situations increase and improve the possibilities of growing different varieties of berries, taking advantage to the maximum the characteristics of each microclimate. These microclimates have two common characteristics, which are mild climates and scarce and seasonal rains, the perfect combination for growing and producing high quality red and black fruits.

The shortage of frost is another important factor in the cultivation of berries in southern Europe. In fact, the chances of late frosts (which are those that could spoil the harvest) are almost nil.

On the other hand, one of the main problems of the cultivation of berries in Andalusia and Morocco was that it requires a certain number of cold hours, which has been solved thanks to the appearance of new varieties of berries that need less hours of cold during their development, but that, at the time of harvesting, they are tasty and juicy fruits that maintain all the healthy properties that the consumer expects.

Knowing how to do, climatic characteristics  and adapted varieties of fruit join to another important factor: the characteristics of the soil of Southern Europe are perfect for growing berries. In Spain the bushes of the fruits of the forest grow in arid soils and with a low PH, and Andalusia, a region sited in the south of Spain, has lands that meet these characteristics. This favors the growth of the bushes, and the ripening of the fruits.

Morocco, another great place for the cultivation of berries

The characteristics that occur in the South of Spain extend to North Africa, and one of the countries with the highest growth in the production of berries is Morocco. Morocco is a country that offer climatic conditions that are very similar to those created in Andalusia, although more moderate, which allows extending the period in which red and black fruits can be found in the market. In fact, the production of berries from Morocco makes it possible for the consumer to find their favorite fresh berries, almost any time of the year.

Experience, climate and soil are the factors that make it possible for southern Spain, together with Morocco, to be one of the best places for growing berries in Europe. Therefore, berries are a local product, grown in Spain and that can be enjoyed throughout Europe, both fresh and through treatments that preserve all its flavor and properties.

Farouk El-Aidy
September 17, 2021

Hi Sirs, We interest in cultivating berries in North Egypt, Raspberry, black and blueberries.For raspberry, we looking for an Adelita variety. From where do we buy the seedlings or seeds to start with?What is the price list for suggested varieties for Egypt?Waiting to hear from you soon.Dr. Farouk El-Aidy