Fruit, vegetables and Flowers | Portugalglobal Maganzine

Fruit, vegetables and Flowers | Portugalglobal Maganzine6 | Pg | fruits, vegetables and flowers By Iara Martins , agri-food sector manager at AICEP In Portugal , the fruit, vegetable and flower sector is an essential part of the economy. The country's diverse climate and fertile soils make it a major producer and exporter of fruit, veg- etables and plants or flowers, mainly to other countries in the European Union. There are many examples of success. Fruit in- cludes rock pears from the West region (Oeste), particularly Caldas da Rainha and Bombarral, apples from Alcobaça and Trás-os-Montes, or- anges from the Algarve, grapes from the Douro and Alentejo, cherries from Fundão, figs from the Algarve and Trás-os-Montes and plums from the Alentejo and Oeste. Vegetables in- clude potatoes from Trás-os-Montes and Beira Litoral, tomatoes from Ribatejo and Alentejo, carrots from Ribatejo and Oeste, onions from Ribatejo and Trás-os-Montes and broccoli, cabbage and spinach from Litoral Centro and Oeste. Portugal has also made a name for itself in the production of flowers and ornamental plants, bringing roses, orchids and chrysan- themums from the West region to various mar- kets, as well as ornamental plants grown in the Algarve and the north of the country. In the case of fruit, Portugal already has a strong tradition. It is famous for its apple production, especially the Alcobaça apple, but also for the Rocha pear, a unique and protected variety ex- ported to several countries, and the Algarve orange, famous for its flavour and sweetness. But there are other fruits that are becoming in- creasingly important in Portuguese agriculture, such as the avocado and the kiwi. Avocados are increasingly part of the Portu- guese diet and have made a name for them- selves on the market, following a global trend towards the consumption of healthy food. For this reason, avocado cultivation has expanded in Portugal, especially in regions with a mild, sunny climate, such as the Algarve and some island regions, such as Madeira and the Azores. By adapting new cultivation techniques, farm- ers have been able to take advantage of fa- vourable climatic conditions and respond to growing domestic and foreign demand. Kiwi is also not a traditional crop in Portugal, but some producers have invested in its pro- duction, taking advantage of the favourable microclimatic conditions in certain regions. Investment in varieties adapted to the Portu- guese climate has been key to ensuring con- sistent, high-quality production and overcom- ing the challenges of local conditions. On the other hand, the cultivation of prickly pear has a long tradition in Portugal, especially in regions with a more arid climate, such as the Algarve and Alentejo. Its resistance to drought and ability to thrive in less fertile soils make it a sustainable and strategic crop for diversifying agricultural production in water-scarce areas. The case of tomatoes is unavoidable when talk- ing about agricultural production in Portugal, as the country is one of the largest exporters of tomato concentrate. But there has also been growth in the production of small fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, which are small in size but of great nutritional and economic value. The high inter- national demand for fruits rich in antioxidants and vitamins has boosted the export of these fruits, especially to European markets that value the quality and origin of the products. In the Portuguese archipelagos, the produc- tion of bananas in Madeira and pineapples in the Azores are notable examples of the adap- tation of agricultural techniques to the cultiva- tion of tropical fruits, making the most of lo- cal climatic conditions and soils. The Madeira banana is a product that is appreciated bothpágina 2