The Granadian municipality of Los Guájares will host on 13 and 14 November the II Avocado Fair "Valle de Los Guájares", which will be held at the Jardín Tropical La Flor del Aguacate site.
The event, promoted by the Ayuntamiento de Los Guájares with the backing of the Diputación de Granada, seeks to establish itself as an annual meeting linked to the harvesting campaign, to strengthen the local agricultural fabric and to help keep people living in the territory.
At the presentation, the president of the Diputación de Granada, Francis Rodríguez, accompanied by the deputy for European Funds, Development, Industry and Employment, Antonio Díaz, and the mayor of Los Guájares, Antonio Mancilla, highlighted the importance of avocado for the regional economy, noting that "its introduction in the 1990s has revitalized the local economy and has helped to effectively curb population loss".
Rodríguez emphasized that "the best way to fight against depopulation is to create opportunities so that our neighbors can continue living and working in their towns".
The mayor, Antonio Mancilla, has placed the focus on the profitability of this crop for local farms and on the expansion moment it is going through in the municipality, stating that "avocado is not a cheap product and for the farmer it is a very profitable product that in our municipality is booming because we have the two qualities that are most needed, such as the climate and the boom. And we launched this fair with the intention of showcasing our star agricultural product, of which we are immensely proud".
Program of activities
The organizers have prepared a program that combines technical training, proposals for young people, and gastronomic activities. The event on 13 November will be dedicated especially to a young audience, with a graffiti workshop, a gastronomic competition for young people, and an avocado-themed gymkhana.
On 14 November, the main events will be concentrated. The technical block includes a guided avocado route led by the specialist Daniel Merlo and a talk on crop pruning given by Emilio Guirado Sánchez.
Dissemination of avocado properties will be handled by expert Antonio Rodríguez Padial, who will give a talk focused on its nutritional impact.
In the culinary sphere, the fair will feature a recipe competition and a live cooking demonstration, at 12:00, led by the Andalusian cook Enrique Sánchez, after which a popular meal will be held.
Simultaneously, the grounds will have an exhibition area with cooperatives, producers, and agricultural machinery companies.
Among the entities that have already confirmed their attendance are SCA Barranco del Cigarral, Cooperativa La Palma, Frutas Rafael Manzano e Hijos, Alcoaxarquía, Frutas Las Viñas, Tropicales, Trops, Hortalan, Santi Pozo, Frutas Fajardo, El Castillejo and the provincial brand Sabor Granada.
Varieties and benefits of avocado
The Valle de Los Guájares enjoys weather and soil conditions that favor the cultivation of three main avocado varieties, which will be the stars at the fair.
These are the Hass, the most widespread and consumed in the world, with dark skin, yellow flesh, and flavor nuances of hazelnut; the Fuerte, recognizable by its pear shape and high oleic acid content; and the Bacon, the earliest of the season, with green, smooth skin, whose harvest begins in October.
The fair also aims to encourage the consumption of this fruit by focusing on its nutritional composition, rich in monounsaturated fats, fiber, antioxidants, potassium, vitamins, and minerals, beneficial for cardiovascular health and with anti-inflammatory effects.
The Diputación de Granada provides financial backing for this II Aguacate Fair through its line of grants for singular events of a county-wide nature.