Valued at over $670 million, Spanish growers export a staggering 287,000 tons of strawberries annually – making Spain the world’s largest strawberry exporter. As much as 90 percent of Spanish strawberries are grown in Andalusia, where new cultivation methods and world-leading agricultural expertise have contributed to creating what has become an international strawberry adventure. Strawberries obviously taste great as they are, but are also suitable in many sweet and savory dishes. Why not try a strawberry smoothie? Or why not try strawberries with Spanish sherry vinegar, a tasty twist on an Italian classic?
To northerners, hardly any berry is more closely associated with sun and summer than strawberries. Ripe strawberries signal the very beginning of summer in northern latitudes – the first berries are ripe mid or late June. In Spain, the strawberry season starts in February and lasts until May. And it is expanding.
Huelva – Strawberry growers of Spain and Europe
It is in southwestern Spain that we find the vast majority of the country’s strawberry cultivation. As mentioned, Andalusia produces as much as 90 percent of the crop, and of that number, the province of Huelva alone accounts for about 85 percent. An area of a total of 7,000 hectares is used for strawberry cultivation there. This does not happen without investing in and developing crops jointly.
In Andalusia as a whole, we find several large cooperatives of farmers who collaborate on cultivation, development of new plant varieties and cultivation methods as well as exports. Strawberry cultivation is large-scale production. And, if you look to the sales figures it has yielded results: Spain’s exports have increased significantly in recent years until last year (2020), when weather conditions were not on the strawberry farmers’ side.
The vast majority of Spanish strawberry exports have so far gone to Europe. The largest importers are Germany with about 100,000+ tons per year with France and the UK buying about 40,000+ tons of Spanish strawberries a year. Italy, Portugal, Austria and Switzerland are also significant buyers according to figures from Spanish export authorities. However, Spanish strawberry growers are also gaining ground in more remote areas of the world. Asia might be a market to focus on in the future.
The large cooperatives are inventive when it comes to maximizing strawberry crops. One of the largest cooperatives, Fresón de Palos, which consists of more than 150 local Huelva farmers, even grow small plants in the north where the summer season is relatively cool. The small plants are allowed to grow in greenhouses in Castile and León all summer and are then dug up in October-November. The plants are then washed and sent south to Huelva where they are replanted to enjoy a mild winter and plenty of watering.
Strawberries on the table – try something new
Strawberries are known as “fresa” in Spanish. Botanically, the vitamin C-rich strawberries are “fake fruits”. What we normally think of as a berry is actually a swollen flower base with a lot of small, hard seeds that are the actual fruits.
Wild strawberries grow in many places in Europe and are known from ancient times as a medicinal plant. Among other things, it was used to treat depression in the Middle Ages. As far as we know, garden strawberries were first grown commercially in Brittany in France from the middle of the 18th century.
If you think Spanish markets and supermarkets are flooded with strawberries at this time of year, you now know that only five percent of Spanish strawberry farmers’ production is sold in the domestic market. The price is not dissuasive, at the supermarket today a box of strawberries cost just under 2.40 euros.
Strawberries can of course be enjoyed as they are, but you are wise to rinse them off just before serving. Most of us probably have their favorite dish, whether it is strawberries with ice cream, strawberries with chocolate coating, or strawberries as part of a fruit salad. But strawberries actually taste great in a green salad as well – try strawberries instead of tomatoes.
We sometimes like quick, healthy meals that can be eaten through a straw – preferably in the sun on the terrace. Try a strawberry smoothie (the recipe below is enough for three servings):
Put the following in a blender or a solid glass or other container in which you can use a hand held mixer: Two peeled, ripe bananas, 6-7 tablespoons Greek or other natural yogurt, 4-5 large or 8-10 smaller strawberries, 2-3 tablespoons whole milk, almond milk (or other alternative to cow’s milk). Add sugar or honey if you want a sweeter drink. (The bananas taste quite sweetly.) Give it all a go with the mixer (or other suitable kitchen utensil) until you have a smooth, slightly thick drink. Serve with a teaspoon or straw.
If you are a bit more adventurous in the kitchen, we can recommend a Spanish twist on an Italian classic. Some Italians like to eat their strawberries with balsamic vinegar. The very best balsamic vinegar has matured for 100 years, but you get good varieties that have been stored a mere three to four years. Spain has its own “luxury vinegar”, made from sherry. Treat yourself to a good bottle of sherry vinegar. It costs a bit, but is a wonderfully tasty experience.
How to cook strawberries with sherry vinegar: Cut a quarter of a kilo or so of fresh strawberries into thick slices or pieces. Mix the berries with approx. 75 g powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of sherry vinegar. (The amount of vinegar you should use will vary slightly with the brand you use, so taste it as you make it.) Let it all soak for at least 15 minutes, but preferably a couple of hours in the fridge. Tastes lovely with ice cream, in almond cakes and much more.
Numbers from 2020. Source: www.Globaltrademag.com.
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