Pumpkin: The Halloween Queen

The rise of the Halloween festival in Spain has led to the adoption of typical traditions of this American holiday on these dates. This is the case of the decoration of spaces with pumpkins. These can be worked to present a terrifying appearance or simply placed for their attractiveness as an ornament.

But in the world, and specifically in our country, many types of pumpkin are grown, beyond the typical “Ruperta” that we see these days in shop windows.

  • “Butternut” pumpkin, or peanut, is the most cultivated in Spain. It is the most used in the kitchen to prepare creams or to serve as a garnish in some dishes.
  • Pumpkin Dulce de Horno, better known as ‘round roast’. As these names indicate, it is the pumpkin that we have traditionally had as a dessert. It belongs to the Cucurbita maxima duchesne family, within which we also find the Turbante variety, widely used in ornamentation.
  • The Cabello de Ángel pumpkin from whose pulp this pastry ingredient is extracted, as its name indicates. These fruits are not oranges, but their exterior is stained with green and white tones.

Spain is the country in the European Union that produces the most pumpkins. According to data from Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, our country produced in 2019 about 115,000 tons of this vegetable. It was followed in terms of production values ​​by France and Germany, with 96,000 and 92,000 tons, respectively.

The demand for pumpkin in Spain has increased notably in recent years, a fact that can be seen in the area dedicated to this crop, which has increased by 200% in the last decade. The Survey on Crops Surfaces and Yields (ESYRCE in Spain) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shows that in 2010 there were 1,887 hectares dedicated to pumpkin production. In 2019, the same survey indicated that the number had increased to 3,739 hectares.

By regions, in terms of distribution by areas dedicated to this crop, the Comunitat Valenciana stands out with 1047 hectares, almost a third of the total area of ​​the entire country. They are followed by Castilla y León and Andalucía, with 666 and 418 hectares, respectively.

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