Among the various tomato varieties existing in Spain, the Ateneo has stood out recently because of its growth in popularity. More than 300 tomato growers from Almeria attended the Open Day devoted to this variety, which according to its distributor, Semillas Fitó, "has entered this market segment with force." Part of its success, according to the company, is due to its G calibre, which is the most demanded in the market.
The producers themselves are, in fact, aware of this potential. "We transplant the Ateneo to soil on 20 August and in mid-February the plant is in perfect condition and can easily stay like that until June. Those who visited us had a chance to see that almost all branches produce G calibre tomatoes, which reach great prices," explains Sergio Maldonado Gutiérrez, manager of one of the visited greenhouses.
According to José Jiménez, commercial technician at Semillas Fito in the area of Roquetas (Almeria), "with the Ateneo, we have contributed quite a bit to the on the vine tomato segment, because it is a variety that performs quite well with either hot or cold temperatures, and in the area of Alhama, for example, with plantations made between 20 and 25 July, we are already in a really good position."
