The Tudela artichoke season is currently in full swing. "Production kicked off somewhat slowly, as September and October have been much cooler and rainier than normal; nevertheless, this cooler weather has allowed the plants to vegetate really well and we have kept potentially harmful pests under control without major problems, so we are harvesting artichokes of very good quality," says Guillermo Agorreta, president of the PGI Alcachofa de Tudela.
This artichoke, highly appreciated both in haute cuisine and by the industry for its flavor and consistency, remains one of Navarre's most important agricultural products, despite the fact that its acreage has experienced a certain decline in recent years.
"In our area, as in other production areas, there has been a reduction in the number of hectares under production for various reasons. One of them has been the emergence of the seed artichoke, which is competing with the Blanca de Tudela variety. This artichoke became trendy at one point, but we see that people are once again opting for the classic Tudela artichoke because of its unique texture," says Agorreta. "The Blanca de Tudela is, in fact, the only artichoke suitable for the canning industry. The processing industry and the high-end hospitality and catering sector are the most important market niches for the Tudela artichoke, in addition to the fresh market."
"The drop in the production has also happened as a result of the escalation in costs over the last few years, which has made it necessary to adjust the sales prices, which were already high to begin with. Labor costs have increased significantly, and in Spain there is currently also a shortage of it, so the combination of higher costs and the fact that it is very difficult to find qualified workers has led growers to reduce their acreage to facilitate a better management," says the head of the PGI.
"The truth is that the agricultural sector needs qualified and specialized personnel not only for cultivation, but also to operate machinery and manage new technologies, and it is difficult to find people with the right skills, and the need for them will only increase," says Guillermo Agorreta.
"However, I would say that we have reached a turning point. At the end of the pandemic, we went through the most difficult period due to the escalation of costs, but today we can say that the situation has stabilized quite a lot. The industry has been able to assume the price increases that we needed to make and the demand from canning factories has increased. At the same time, the hotel and catering sector in Spain is doing spectacularly well and artichokes are a flagship food for many restaurants, so the demand has also increased," says Agorreta.
"There already seems to be an upturn in the acreage and we hope that this trend will continue and that producers will be encouraged to expand their Tudela artichoke crops, as consumers and top chefs undoubtedly prefer this product."
For more information:
Consejo Regulador de la IGP Alcachofa de Tudela (Tudela Artichoke PGI Regulatory Council)
Avda Serapio Huici, 22. Edificio Peritos Villava/Atarrabia
31610 - Navarre. Spain
Tel.: +34 948 01 30 45
[email protected]