The Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Environment and the City of Mazarrón held this Wednesday the technical conference 'Introduction of subtropical fruit growing on the coast of Murcia', with the aim of showing the progress carried out both administrations and farmers area in the search for alternatives to the monoculture of tomatoes in Mazarrón, and in other coastal municipalities of the Region of Murcia.
The Ministry, through the District Agricultural Office (OCA) Fuente Álamo-Mazarrón and the City began working in this sector in 2011, probing the various possibilities offered by the subtropical fruit and other exotic species.
The Director General of Agrifood Innovation, Juana Mulero, explained that "in 2014 the first trials began mango and papaya, which have provided interesting results that put in value this new agricultural production system."
The mayor of Mazarrón, Alicia Jimenez, said in his speech "the hopeful path open subtropical crops to the farmer in the area, allowing diversify production obtaining medium-term profitability that at the present time do not offer traditional crops."
Jimenez stressed the importance of this conference "organized with the aim to contribute ideas and to project the local and regional agriculture. The obligation of the administration is betting on these policies as it can change a part of economic growth and consequently the welfare of the population, "said the mayor.
In order to transfer the results and get in globally the most important aspects of subtropical fruit growing, this time with the participation of speakers from different countries and regions such as Mexico, France, the Canary Islands, Malaga and Almeria was held.
At the meeting early experiences of subtropical crops in Mazarrón, the potential of subtropical fruit growing, cultivation of mango and papaya variety of commercial varieties in papaya, its sexed by molecular marker techniques and genetic improvement in greenhouse were treated and markets and mango marketing.
The event was the part of technicians IMIDA, the District Agricultural Office of Fuente Alamo-Mazarrón, the University of Almería, Catholic University of Murcia, Mazarrón Town Council, experimental station Palmerillas, SAT Trops Seeds Caribbean (Mexico) , SP Laboratories, EBT and Group Capital Genetic Fernández López.
Visit Duran and experimental plantations CERES Viveros
In Mazarrón, the company Duran started production two years ago testing varieties and cropping systems papaya and mango.
A Duran later been joined by small and medium farmers in the municipality that have shown interest in this agricultural alternative as well as companies engaged in the sale as Ceres ornamental nurseries.
Participants of the conference visited during the morning plantations that the company has on the farm Duran Los Molinos and experimental productions in working Viveros Ceres.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Mazarrón / CARM