at last some common sense
Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:14 pm
seems that with the increasing water supply problems ...local farmers are having a rethink...this from the algarve observer
Farmers changing from oranges to carob trees
10/23/2005 3:18:00 PM
Farmers in the Algarve are changing from orange groves to carob trees, in the belief that the seeds from the Mediterranean fruit will ensure a more competitive and sustainable future for agriculture in the south of the country.
José Filipe of the Inter-professional Association for the Development of Carob Production and Use (AIDA) told the Lusa Agency that the change is gradual, but it can be seen throughout the region, except in the mountainous areas where there is also no citrus production.
Manuel Caetano, a specialist in this type of dryland farming, explained that the carob is a large tree which needs less water, less looking after, guarantees sustainable prices and keeps fires away from the surroundings as there are always farmers near the orchards taking care of the carob-pods.
Manuel Caetano, known in the world carob industry as "Mister Alfarroba" (Mister Carob) is the director of Danisco (formerly Indal) which was converted about a year ago into a multinational for the processing of carob seeds, with a branch in Faro and its headquarters in Denmark, and which exports all its produce to Europe, China, Japan and the USA.
In contrast with orange trees, which need a lot of water, carobs can live healthily with 250 millilitres of water per year and even in conditions of severe or extreme drought maintain or even increase production.
This year, production rose from 35,000 tonnes to almost 40,000 tonnes.
“Mister Alfarroba” said that carob pods, also known as “healthy chocolate” as they have a low level of fat, is also more lucrative: one kilo is worth 120 escudos (60 cents) on the market, while a kilo of oranges is worth 40 escudos (20 cents).
In the Algarve there are only two factories for processing carob seeds, Danisco and Victus Industrial Farense, and almost all their production is for export.
Carob seeds are used in a number of industries such as pharmaceuticals (for making tablets), cosmetics (the more hydrating the creams are, the more carob seed starch they contain, known as E410, which absorbs water), the food industry (as additives for puddings, baby food and stabilisers for ice-creams), the textile and paper industries.
Isaurindo Chorondo, manager of “A Industrial Farense”, a factory founded in 1944 and which to begin with produced exclusively animal feed, said that Portugal only has about 5% of the carob seed production, which is used by the Olá and Nestlé ice-cream factories.
The pulp of the carob fruit – 90 of its weight – is used for the production of different sweets items such as biscuits and cakes, liqueurs, syrup, bread and animal feed.
Increasing importance is being attached to the use of this traditional Algarve product by the Algarve Regional Directorate of Agriculture (DRAAlg), which confirmed to the Lusa agency that the number of plantations in the region is expanding.
David Mousinho, an engineer with the DRAAlg said that it is estimated that there are at present 93,000 hectares of carob trees in the region (15,000 more than a decade ago): 13,000 in ecological orchards, 15,000 in industrial orchards and 65,000 in mixed orchards, in other words growing side by side with other trees, especially almond-trees.
Portugal is the third biggest producer of carob pods in the world – in first place are the Spanish, and in second the Moroccans – but the increase in production in the last ten years could allow the Algarve to create a sustainable crop and turn the country into the second biggest carob producer in the world.
Manuel Caetano said that, with European support, especially through subsidies and the “Project for hard-shelled fruits and carob”, production can increase.
Farmers changing from oranges to carob trees
10/23/2005 3:18:00 PM
Farmers in the Algarve are changing from orange groves to carob trees, in the belief that the seeds from the Mediterranean fruit will ensure a more competitive and sustainable future for agriculture in the south of the country.
José Filipe of the Inter-professional Association for the Development of Carob Production and Use (AIDA) told the Lusa Agency that the change is gradual, but it can be seen throughout the region, except in the mountainous areas where there is also no citrus production.
Manuel Caetano, a specialist in this type of dryland farming, explained that the carob is a large tree which needs less water, less looking after, guarantees sustainable prices and keeps fires away from the surroundings as there are always farmers near the orchards taking care of the carob-pods.
Manuel Caetano, known in the world carob industry as "Mister Alfarroba" (Mister Carob) is the director of Danisco (formerly Indal) which was converted about a year ago into a multinational for the processing of carob seeds, with a branch in Faro and its headquarters in Denmark, and which exports all its produce to Europe, China, Japan and the USA.
In contrast with orange trees, which need a lot of water, carobs can live healthily with 250 millilitres of water per year and even in conditions of severe or extreme drought maintain or even increase production.
This year, production rose from 35,000 tonnes to almost 40,000 tonnes.
“Mister Alfarroba” said that carob pods, also known as “healthy chocolate” as they have a low level of fat, is also more lucrative: one kilo is worth 120 escudos (60 cents) on the market, while a kilo of oranges is worth 40 escudos (20 cents).
In the Algarve there are only two factories for processing carob seeds, Danisco and Victus Industrial Farense, and almost all their production is for export.
Carob seeds are used in a number of industries such as pharmaceuticals (for making tablets), cosmetics (the more hydrating the creams are, the more carob seed starch they contain, known as E410, which absorbs water), the food industry (as additives for puddings, baby food and stabilisers for ice-creams), the textile and paper industries.
Isaurindo Chorondo, manager of “A Industrial Farense”, a factory founded in 1944 and which to begin with produced exclusively animal feed, said that Portugal only has about 5% of the carob seed production, which is used by the Olá and Nestlé ice-cream factories.
The pulp of the carob fruit – 90 of its weight – is used for the production of different sweets items such as biscuits and cakes, liqueurs, syrup, bread and animal feed.
Increasing importance is being attached to the use of this traditional Algarve product by the Algarve Regional Directorate of Agriculture (DRAAlg), which confirmed to the Lusa agency that the number of plantations in the region is expanding.
David Mousinho, an engineer with the DRAAlg said that it is estimated that there are at present 93,000 hectares of carob trees in the region (15,000 more than a decade ago): 13,000 in ecological orchards, 15,000 in industrial orchards and 65,000 in mixed orchards, in other words growing side by side with other trees, especially almond-trees.
Portugal is the third biggest producer of carob pods in the world – in first place are the Spanish, and in second the Moroccans – but the increase in production in the last ten years could allow the Algarve to create a sustainable crop and turn the country into the second biggest carob producer in the world.
Manuel Caetano said that, with European support, especially through subsidies and the “Project for hard-shelled fruits and carob”, production can increase.
