They embarked on a bold venture, the Spaniards, but they have arrived and are holding their ground in the market.

As we slowly begin the "I-don't-like-it" winter period, Spanish strawberry growers have embarked on an interesting, albeit somewhat risky, venture. Many consider the arrival of "real" spring when the sale of domestic strawberries begins. In Hungary, the fruit from foil cultivation usually appears on the market in the first week of May, following the April frosts, while the picking of open-field strawberries starts in the second half of May. Spain, a major power in this field, uses a different "calendar." This year, the early strawberry picking began in early December, according to the news from the Hungarian Fruit and Vegetable Professional Organization (FruitVeB). The Spanish are trying to bring the start of the season even earlier with nutrient-soaked, super-early seedlings, which yield fruit as early as the end of November. This practice is being introduced in the Huelva region, which accounts for more than 90 percent of the national yield, in order to sell their goods before ...