Spain: CASI to sell RAF tomato in online store

As usual, CASI started the month of December by opening its online store, www.rafdecasi.com, where they offer Raf tomatoes, the best of their selection. "We've put in every effort to achieve a unique sweetness and tenderness. The result is a high quality product, ideal to be served or to given as a gift in the upcoming holiday season," the cooperative said.

In this 2013/2014 season, CASI plans to market about 7 million kilos of Raf tomato through the online store, auction, supermarkets and gourmet shops. 90% of the production is marketed domestically because of the products rapid maturation. The remaining 10% of the production is exported exclusively to European countries. The cooperative has around 100 hectares devoted for the growth of this exclusive tomato variety.

As the website explains, the Raf tomato is a delicate tomato that requires special conditions and techniques to be grown. It should be grown in poor lands, be watered lightly and only using very brackish waters with a salt concentration that is ten times higher than normal. This variety has weak roots, so it should be treated with care. It is not a very productive plant and is very prone to disease.

Due to these characteristics, only the most experienced farmers are able to successfully grow this tomato. Since the farmers from CASI are specialized exclusively in tomatoes, they are able to harvest a spectacular Raf variety that has an intense flavour that is already recognized by consumers who, each year, wait for the launch of the online market to place their orders.

Since this variety is the cooperative's most delicate and valuable product, they designed a special container for it; buying it online is as simple as following a four steps system.

The www.rafdecasi.com site also explains to consumers how to differentiate the Raf tomato from other varieties: "It generally is a smaller product with deep grooves, an irregular shape and it is bright green. Its main characteristic, however, is its excellent flavour and sweetness that is impossible to find in other varieties." Additionally, the site offers recipes to use it in salads or prepare vinaigrettes.

CASI is the largest producer of tomatoes in Europe, and it bases its success on the expertise of its farmers who, generation after generation, have learned techniques that allow them to grow different varieties of delicious tomatoes, such as Raf.