According to the IDR, the surface cultivated with winter vegetables in the province of Mendoza amounted to 12,626 hectares, i.e. 16% less at the provincial level over the previous season. Despite this, the South showed a remarkable production growth with nearly 100 extra crop hectares, especially of garlic production.
According to the report on horticultural production by the Institute of Rural Development, "all areas of the province decreased crop surface, except for the eastern and southern areas, which includes the departments of San Martin, Junin, Rivadavia, Santa Rosa, and La Paz, and the general southern area, which includes San Rafael." Thus, the report highlights that the area implanted in the south increased by 92 hectares last season, which together with the Eastern area registered a growth in this productive sector.
Furthermore, the report shows that there is a total of 648 hectares implanted with vegetables in the area of San Rafael, which represent 5% of the provincial total, i.e. Mendoza's lowest horticultural production ratio compared to other sectors. San Rafael has the largest number of implanted hectares in the provincial south with 385.83 hectares devoted to different vegetable varieties; followed by Malargue with 256 hectares and General Alvear with 5.96 hectares implanted.
As for the types of vegetables grown, the department of San Rafael increased its garlic crops by 232 hectares of garlic and its lettuce crops by 33.84 hectares of lettuce. Thus, the growth that has taken place in the implanted hectares in the south concentrate mainly in garlic. "The only vegetable for which there was an increase in surface was garlic in its commercial the early black and white varieties; the other species (carrots, onions, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, peas, red garlic and purple garlic, among the most important) decreased," the report said.
They are followed by the production of beet with 25 hectares, onion with 17 hectares, and carrot with 16. Other crops being worked, but to a lesser extent, are oregano, cabbage, and broccoli.
It's worth noting that the main winter vegetable species grown in Mendoza are: garlic, carrot, and early onion varieties, which amount to 82% of the total winter crop surface. The territory that has implemented the most crops is the Uco Valley, with 49% of the crops with more than 6,000 hectares. While Maipu, San Carlos, Tupungato, and Lavalle account for 71% of the provincial horticultural surface, all these sectors had a reduction in implemented hectares last season, which results in 2,358 fewer vegetable hectares in the province and tilts the provincial scale to the negative despite the increase in the east and south.
