Nowadays, the parsnips produced in Arcos are conquering the British market, which is the biggest consumer of this root of the Umbelliferae family. This has been achieved by the entrepreneur Lorenzo Carrasco, a native of El Gastor and raised in Cadiz, owner of Grupo LC, one of the flagship names in the wholesale trade of fruit and vegetables from Spain.
In 2013, Carrasco purchased the assets of the cooperative La Pequeña Holanda and its farm, with over 255 hectares of land, of which 40 are devoted to organic production, and where an average of about 130 people are employed. In this manner, he gained control over the entire chain, including the production, handling and marketing of vegetables, and managed to introduce new varieties that are very popular in European markets. For example, for two years they have been growing parsnips in Arcos, and the vegetable is sold in the UK during the months when local growers are unable to supply the market, because of their climate limitations.
This year, a total of 350,000 kilos of this vegetable will be shipped, of which 50% has already been sold to the UK and a small part to the Netherlands and Germany. In the province of Cadiz, there are three other producers growing the crop, in Junta de los Ríos, Jerez and Benalup. "The product is harvested and must be handled that same day, because of its very short shelf life," explains the director of La Pequeña Holanda, Beatriz Núñez.
As a result of this, the firm is currently involved in a process of innovation to try treating the product, making it go through a washing and handling plant so that it can then be supplied to consumers in the condition they demand it. In fact, they cut them to the required length, depending on what the customer wants. Beatriz Núñez highlights the excellence of their parsnips, which feature "such a spectacular, striking white colour, that they are highly appreciated by the English consumers," he adds.
