ASAJA Alicante considers that the Denomination of Origin Granada Mollar de Elche has been too alarmist with the data on the damage caused by South African thrips to the crops. ASAJA Alicante wants to highlight that only the fruit's appearance was damaged and that not all the fruit suffered the same aesthetic deterioration (there are pomegranates with more stains than others). In addition, they stressed that all the fruits have optimum quality inside and are just as fit for consumption as in other seasons.
From left to right, pomegranates affected by the South African thrips pest this season (in order of aesthetic deterioration), and an open pomegranate to showcase its excellent and usual quality.
This insect pest (Scirtothrips aurantii) comes from Africa and Yemen and arrived in Spain in 2020. This year it was detected for the first time in the Valencian Community, where it's affected several crops such as citrus and pomegranate. In pomegranate, it causes grey scars on the fruit's rind to varying degrees, which do not alter the fruit's taste, quality, or properties.
Faced with this situation, last week, ASAJA Alicante met with representatives of supermarkets in the Valencian Community to ask them to continue supporting the Mollar de Elche pomegranate and not to get carried away by "scaremongering" because the pomegranate is in perfect condition for sale and consumption.
At the meeting, which was attended by José Vicente Andreu, president of the association, and some members of the agricultural organization's Board of Directors, the supermarket representatives tasted and verified the pomegranates were as good as always.
The supermarket representatives promised to absorb the production, mainly the best-looking fruits, because the start of the pomegranate season is going very well and there will be no problem absorbing the production or selling it.
Last but not least, "consumers should know that, despite the slight change in their appearance, the fresh pomegranates they'll find at the supermarket continue to have the same quality and properties they've always had."
For more information: https://alicanteasaja.com