The Raf tomato season has already started. "The original variety needs cold temperatures during the flower's fruiting to guarantee high-quality production. Besides, since it has a thin skin, the cold helps it ripen slowly and it can be shipped without fear of spontaneous ripening issues. It is thus a winter tomato."
"Unfortunately, due to climate change, especially in Almeria, Raf tomato harvests are starting later and finishing earlier. No more than ten years ago, we had Raf tomatoes from the end of November until June. Nowadays, in order to guarantee their quality, we can only grow them from January to May," says José Antonio González, CEO of pepeRaf.
"This very short crop cycle, as well as its low production, makes it difficult to make a profit from the activity and is forcing us growers to opt for alternative crops in the months when there is no Raf."
"It has also led seed houses and producers to seek heat-resistant seeds that can serve as an alternative during the non-Raf months," he says. "However, as many already know, the problem is that there's a lot of deception in the market and misinformation to the consumer, with the vast majority selling these hybrids or imitations as authentic Raf," he says.
"It's important to differentiate between hybrids developed from Raf seeds that are marketed by the same seed company (such as Ambrosia F1 or Delizia F1), which still offer part of their quality, and the rest, which don't even come from Raf seeds, and whose quality is really low."
"This has led us growers to have two crop cycles: an early one with Ambrosia or Delizia (hybrids), which runs from the end of October to February, and a second crop cycle with Raf which starts in January and lasts until May," says José Antonio. "In conclusion, hybrids can offer really good quality, even if they are never like the real thing, and they should serve as an alternative, and not as an instrument for deception. Consumers should be informed at all times about the varieties that are sold."
"In our case, this year has been the first in which we've grown the Ambrosia in the early months as an alternative to the Raf. In general, it has been really well accepted, although, in all honesty, I think it has been due to our policy of informing consumers at all times about the variety they are buying and not lying, so our clients have always felt informed and perceived us as trustworthy," he says.
"Nevertheless, as expected, many clients have still chosen to wait for the start of the Raf season, which is going to be shorter than other years. This will certainly be detrimental to our profits, but it's also something we were already counting on. Behind every change there's a process of adaptation," says José Antonio.
"Stores and supermarkets also need to work with these hybrids, because they can't be selling for only three months. Just as we do at source, the key is to provide adequate information about which variety they are selling and what the differences are," says José Antonio.
"Things have gone quite well in our first year of growing a hybrid. Personally, I think this is due to the fact that we produce high-quality hybrids, and above all, that they are much more durable than natural Raf, which makes it possible to save on shipping costs and store the tomatoes for longer," he says.
"Let's say that the only advantage of hybrids compared to the Raf is that they have a slower ripening process and can therefore be kept on the shelves for longer without them ripening or softening," he says. "But don't be fooled, our clients have been asking for the Raf since January."
"We have been growing this seed, which is perfectly adapted to the environment, for more than 60 years"
In the tomato sector, one of the biggest concerns in recent years has been the spread of viruses, which have taken a toll on many commercial tomato varieties grown in Almeria.
"Fortunately, we haven't been affected so far. It is true that they spread very quickly by contact, and the fact that we grow and deliver it without it going through cooperatives or intermediaries is an advantage. But in general, Raf tomatoes, the real thing, are hardly affected by diseases. It seems strange, but it's not so strange. It's not a question of having more or less genetic resistance, but rather of growing seeds that are adapted to the environment," says José Antonio.
"We, for example, have been cultivating this seed, which is perfectly adapted to our farm, for more than 60 years, and in very short cultivation cycles. Consequently, the ecosystem is in balance. In fact, we invite consumers to visit our farm in Almeria, or the pepeRaf website, where they'll have a chance to learn more about this tomato, how we grow it, and, of course, to buy the authentic Raf tomato."
For more information:
pepeRaf
Crta. Aeropuerto a El Alquián, Km.8
04130 Almería. Spain
Tel.: +34 691 336 180
info@peperaf.com
https://www.peperaf.com/