Avocado is gaining ground in Castellón and the Valencian Community as an alternative to citrus cultivation.
Avocado cultivation is experiencing remarkable growth in Castellón and throughout the Valencian Community, establishing itself as a viable alternative to citrus farming. According to the Survey on Crop Areas and Yields (ESYRCE) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the area dedicated to avocados has increased 200-fold in the last decade. Business sector projections indicate that the province of Castellón could lead the national growth of this crop in the future.
The increase in avocado-growing area in Castellón has been remarkable, rising from just 5 hectares in 2017 to 996 hectares in 2023. This growth places the province in a prominent position, representing 27% of the total avocado-growing area in the Valencian Community, which amounts to 3,685 hectares. Castellón ranks second only to Valencia and surpasses Alicante in terms of cultivated area.
Vicente Bayona, manager of Tropical Bayper, a Castellón-based company specializing in the international harvesting and marketing of avocados, emphasizes that avocado cultivation is more profitable than citrus farming. This is due to avocados' lower susceptibility to pests and their reduced labor requirements, allowing for higher selling prices. Bayona also mentions that entrepreneurs in the ceramics industry are investing in avocados as a way to diversify their businesses.
Tropical Bayper, which collaborates with the Malaga-based nursery Brokaw Viveros, expects to produce 20 million kilos of avocados in the next season, an increase of 5 million compared to the 2023-2024 season.
Decrease in Citrus Surface Area
In contrast, citrus cultivation has declined in the Valencian Community. According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture, the area dedicated to citrus fruits has decreased by 11% in the last ten years, falling from 37,185 hectares in 2014 to 33,056 hectares in 2023. The predominant variety, clementines, has suffered an even steeper decline of 17%, reducing its area from 30,480 to 24,848 hectares.Source: freshplaza.es
