Around fifty Andalusian nutritionists and dietitians, members of the Andalusian Society of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics (Sancyd) and the Professional Association of Nutritionists-Dietitians of Andalusia (Codinan), visited several farms and facilities devoted to the production of berries, where they had a chance to see their sustainable production methods, which result in a rich, nutritious and healthy product.
This visit was made in the framework of the partnership agreement that the Association of Producers and Exporters of Strawberries from Huelva (Freshuelva) has with the Andalusian Foundation of Nutrition and Dietetics (FAND) in order to promote research and other activities that can help to learn more about the health and nutrition benefits of Huelva's berries.
Dietitians and nutritionists visited the La Canastita farm in Lucena del Puerto, owned by the company Agrícola El Bosque, where they could witness the booming development of blackberry cultivation in the province of Huelva. The company is, in fact, a pioneer in the production and exports of this berry, as outlined by its owners, Diego and Daniel Velo.
The visitors of Agrícola El Bosque's new facilities also enjoyed a natural, berry-based breakfast, allowing them to check not only the nutritional qualities, but also the quality and taste of the products, result of a careful, natural and individualised form of production.
The dietitians and nutritionists also had a chance to see the production of strawberries and other important berries in the province of Huelva, namely raspberries and blueberries, during their visit to a farm owned by the cooperative Costa de Huelva, where its president, Cristóbal Picón, outlined the methods that make it possible to market a high quality raspberry, which is almost entirely exported to countries like the UK, Germany and France.
Lastly, the group learned about the selection, packaging and preparation processes necessary for the sale of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, carried out at the facilities of the Moguer-based cooperatives Cuna de Platero and Grufesa.
Research partnership
This action is part of the strategy from Freshuelva to promote the healthy values of berries as a basis for differentiation, which has helped it achieve a privileged position in the market. It all started with the Fresh & Life symposium, held in October 2014 within the framework of the agro-food fair fruit Attraction, in Madrid, which was attended by numerous experts and where more than 300 people learned about the benefits entailed in the consumption of berries. The next step was taken in the First Berry Congress, held in Huelva in June 2015.
