The Fortuna strawberry variety from breeder EmcoCAL is once again the most planted variety in the province of Huelva, in general terms and in the absence of specific planting data, according to the report on the start of the strawberry season by the Price and Market Observatory of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development of the Andalusian regional government.
Fortuna 's average presence amounted to 35% of the plants in the province of Huelva for almost a decade. During this period, it has had important rivals who have failed to snatch first place.
The same report also highlights other varieties such as Rábida, Rociera, Victory and Savana. Among the new varieties, the Marismela variety stands out.
The report on the start of the season by the Price and Market Observatory of the Andalusian Regional Government points out that the first part of the strawberry season has been regular, despite the numerous inconveniences that occurred during the autumn. This time of year coincides with the strawberry planting season in the province of Huelva, where 90% of the national production of this fruit is located.
IN THE CAMPAIGN
At the end of September, torrential rains were recorded in the strawberry-growing municipalities of the west coast of the province of Huelva. Although these heavy rains caused serious damage to the towns, the strawberry fields that had already been prepared for planting were spared.
At the end of September there was another intensestorm, short, lasting an hour and a half, located in Lepe, Cartaya and Isla Cristina, which, like the previous one, mainly caused flooding in urban areas as agricultural land absorbed the fallen water. In specific locations there was damage due to landslides.
The warm temperatures in October, together with the airtightness of the greenhouses, meant that the plants had to endure high temperatures during planting, resulting in high plant mortality during the planting phase. However, with the figures already available, the Observatorio de Precios y Mercados indicates that the percentage was not alarmingly high or higher than in previous seasons.
Some traders believe that there has been a slight delay in the start of this season's strawberry season due to the low temperatures at the beginning of December, while others believe that there has been no delay but that it was last season that arrived early.
