After a year (2023) in which frosts took a heavy toll on the cherry production in the Caderechas Valley, in the Spanish province of Burgos, the outlook for this season is much more positive. "We are expecting a good harvest this year. We had some frosts in April that might have affected some of the cherry trees, but the impact won't be like last year's, when a frost in the first week of April, which brought temperatures down to -9 degrees Celsius in some places, froze the flower buds, which eventually resulted in there being virtually no harvest," says Juan José Gandía. "Since we had no fruit last year, this year the trees are rested and strong and they have a good amount of cherries. We will finally be able to reach the area's productive potential, which amounts to around half a million kilos."
"The cherry trees in the Caderechas Valley are located at an altitude of between 650 and 900 meters, so the harvest of the first cherries kicks off around the first week of June, a bit later than in other areas of Spain," he says. "As for the Reineta apples that are grown in the valley, they bloomed in the first week of May and they are now shedding their petals, and thanks to the absence of frosts we also expect a good harvest."
Cherry is a traditional crop in this region of Burgos. In fact, writings from the monastery of San Salvador, in the municipality of Oña, dating back to the 11th century already mentioned the production of fruits, including cherries and apples, in the Caderechas Valley. "The production of traditional varieties declined in the 1960s with the arrival of new apple varieties, like the Golden, which started to be stored in refrigerated chambers. The industry wanted these varieties, so those that didn't need refrigeration were no longer in demand, leading many people to abandon their fields and leave the region."
"Those of us who stayed tried to keep the region's traditional agriculture and economy alive. And today, we can proudly say our guarantee brand of the Caderechas Valley has already existed for 25 years."
"At supermarkets, you only have one variety to choose from"
An interesting range of cherry varieties is cultivated in the Caderechas Valley. This fruit is marketed in Burgos and the Basque Country through direct sales at markets, fairs and gastronomic festivals. "With this kind of marketing, there is still contact between the producer and the buyers, which is something that is being lost. Consumers can also choose between different varieties, which doesn't usually happen when you go to a supermarket, where you only have one."
"Here in the valley we cultivate two very old varieties from the area: the Roja de Milagro and the Fresona. Both are bicolor varieties, very delicate, but highly appreciated in the markets of Burgos and the Basque Country. We also cultivate some more modern varieties, including some brought from Canada in the 1980s, like the Summit, and our flagship, the Lapins."
"The Lapins is a variety that does very well here and is highly resistant to the cold, as we've seen during the latest frost, withstanding temperatures as low as -2 degrees Celsius. As for the Summit, it is a variety that we very much like to arrive first in the market, as it has a very attractive heart shape and calibers that reach 28-30. In any case, what all our cherries have in common is that, due to the contrast between day and night temperatures in our area, all the varieties are very crunchy and tasty. Our cherries leave no one indifferent."
For more information:
Association of Producers and Traders
Las Caderechas
Tel.: +34 947 040 266
[email protected]
www.caderechas.com