"Spain: "80% of the growers in Almeria use organic crop protection"

This month, Dutch seed company Enza Zaden organized a trip to Spain with some Bartok growers. The destination was Almeria, where Enza Zaden Spain is established. José Antonio Ruiz, representative of Enza Zaden Spain, took the visitors to see some eggplant growers. There they got to see crops with proper vine weight and cautious regrowth in the head.

Different

What is particularly striking is that the cultivation in Spain is clearly different from the cultivation in the Netherlands. During the winter, cultivation more or less grinds to a halt until the end of February, when the weather is better. The eggplant acreage in Spain is about 1,800 ha and has been fairly constant. 1,450 ha of these are winter crops. The plants are planted in mid-August, and from late May to mid-June, the greenhouses are empty.

Cultivation in Almerìa

The cultivation in Almeria is conducted completely under plastic and without heating. 80% of the growers uses organic crop protection. However, this is sprayed against botrytis regularly, especially in winter. They harvest fruits of 300 grams and more. The production peak is in November and early December, and from mid-April to May. The product is sold through regional cooperatives and auctions.

Source: Enza Zaden