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Chirimoya, a creamy and desirable business
Bolivia
Friday 06 June 2008
Ten years ago no farmer of the population of Comarapa (241 kilometres from Santa Cruz de la Sierra) was imagined that cherimoya plants that were growing in their homes for their own consumption or for occasional guests could become a commercial product of great performance, economic and an increasing demand.
Now, in this town nestled in the valleys Cruceños, almost nobody doubts the advantages of this product, which already generates significant revenue and has 100 producers (in the region and surrounding towns) who have joined to form an association. In parallel, municipalities of Cochabamba, as Independence, Aiquile and Mizque, have followed the same path and between the two departments joined more than 1,000 hectares devoted to this crop, implying that 280 producers benefit from direct and more than 1,000 of indirectly.
The momentum has been growing the cherimoya in these regions would not have been possible without the support of the research project Cherla, which involves nine research groups from six countries (Austria, Belgium, Spain, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru) and Bioversity International organization. The objective of this project, which is funded by the European Union and executed in the country by Proinpa, has been the development of sustainable production systems and utilization of genetic resources of varieties of each region.
In the particular case of mesothermic valleys of Bolivia, the custard apple (cherimoya Mill) is the kind that prevails and that has better yields. It can be found between 1,500 and 2,500 meters above sea level. Although there are several theories regarding the origin of the plant cherimoya, most agree that the investigations comes from the Andean region of South America, more precisely, Peru, Ecuador and possibly Bolivia. Already in pre-Columbian times was extended northward on the American continent and arrived in Spain in the sixteenth century. It was known as 'white delicacy', for their fruit pulp white, creamy consistency and slightly sweet flavor that was desired by many people.
As time went by extending the Mediterranean, although it was Spain which developed its commercial cultivation, especially the variety called Fine Jete, which currently accounts for 90% of production. The Iberian country currently leads his trade, followed by Chile and Ecuador. In Bolivia has dominated their harvest of wild trees and kitchen gardens where the average plant was less than half a dozen.
Now, in this town nestled in the valleys Cruceños, almost nobody doubts the advantages of this product, which already generates significant revenue and has 100 producers (in the region and surrounding towns) who have joined to form an association. In parallel, municipalities of Cochabamba, as Independence, Aiquile and Mizque, have followed the same path and between the two departments joined more than 1,000 hectares devoted to this crop, implying that 280 producers benefit from direct and more than 1,000 of indirectly.
The momentum has been growing the cherimoya in these regions would not have been possible without the support of the research project Cherla, which involves nine research groups from six countries (Austria, Belgium, Spain, Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru) and Bioversity International organization. The objective of this project, which is funded by the European Union and executed in the country by Proinpa, has been the development of sustainable production systems and utilization of genetic resources of varieties of each region.
In the particular case of mesothermic valleys of Bolivia, the custard apple (cherimoya Mill) is the kind that prevails and that has better yields. It can be found between 1,500 and 2,500 meters above sea level. Although there are several theories regarding the origin of the plant cherimoya, most agree that the investigations comes from the Andean region of South America, more precisely, Peru, Ecuador and possibly Bolivia. Already in pre-Columbian times was extended northward on the American continent and arrived in Spain in the sixteenth century. It was known as 'white delicacy', for their fruit pulp white, creamy consistency and slightly sweet flavor that was desired by many people.
As time went by extending the Mediterranean, although it was Spain which developed its commercial cultivation, especially the variety called Fine Jete, which currently accounts for 90% of production. The Iberian country currently leads his trade, followed by Chile and Ecuador. In Bolivia has dominated their harvest of wild trees and kitchen gardens where the average plant was less than half a dozen.
