The Amala tomato is one of Japan's most sophisticated tomatoes, with high sweetness thanks to its brix grades, smoothness and mild acidity. The store prices of this tomato, whose weight is 18 € per kilo, can exceed 30 € in the production areas.
Amela, meaning "sweetness" in Japanese, has conquered the Japanese market from Carchuna, a corner of the coast of Granada and particularly an important measure of La Palma Cooperative's vegetable production and export.
After many experiments to achieve the perfect taste, the production of Amela began in Japan about 25 years ago. Deciding to form an alliance with Spanish producers to grow tomatoes in Spain to take advantage of the Mediterranean climate, the Japanese made an agreement with La Palma, who is responsible for the production and marketing of this Asian tomato.
Pedro Ruiz, president of the cooperative, describes the Amela tomato as a success because of its extraordinary sweetness, aroma and nuances.
Awards
The Granada cooperative's efforts and commitment to innovation have paid off. The unique features and hard work behind this unique product have earned the Amala tomato the "Fruit Logística Innovation Gold Award 2022" .
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Pedro Ruiz said, “This prestigious award is a recognition of quality and knowledge exchange to innovate and open new avenues in agriculture.”
In the cultivation of the amala tomato, the size of the crop is sacrificed for flavor and perfection. Due to the high demand from different countries such as Switzerland, Germany, the USA and the Middle East, the cooperative grows Amela tomatoes on an area of 2 hectares and plans to double these production areas in the near future.
About half a kilo of tomato is obtained from each plant of Amela, which has very high fixed costs, and therefore, its price is high when it reaches the consumer. However, these details do not prevent Amela's success in the Asian and European gourmet markets. Amela, which is not an ordinary tomato; It is highly appreciated by those looking for great taste and by restaurants.
After the great victory of Amela production, La Palma Cooperative continues to work on new products and technological harmony by testing all its varieties. The product catalog includes mini vegetables, Japanese eggplant and subtropical fruits such as avocado and mango. The cooperative produces around 70,000 tons of agricultural products per year.