Madrid, October 7, 2025 - The Government of Castilla-La Mancha is once again supporting regional companies participating in Fruit Attraction, one of the most important international trade fairs held in Spain, which brings together professionals from the fruit and vegetable sector. From October 6 to 8, Castilla-La Mancha is demonstrating its status as a major agro-food powerhouse in Spain, contributing 17% to the regional GDP and generating over a third of the region's exports. According to Julián Martínez Lizán, the regional Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development, this sector is consolidating itself as a driver of economic development, job creation, and wealth generation in rural areas.
Martínez Lizán, along with Elena Escobar, the General Director of Agricultural Production and Cooperatives, visited the regional companies present at the fair. In the horticultural sector alone, the region leads national production in several products, including garlic, accounting for 68% of the national total; onions, with over half of the production; edible mushrooms, nearing 60%; and melons, representing 37% of all melons cultivated in Spain. Additionally, Castilla-La Mancha ranks second in nut production, contributing 23% of Spain's total.
These figures reflect the regional productive fabric, which includes over 600 companies dedicated to fruits and vegetables and more than a hundred linked to the nut sector. The quality of these productions is recognized through quality designations such as Melón de La Mancha, Ajo Morado de Las Pedroñeras, Berenjena de Almagro, Nueces de Nerpio, and Espárrago Verde de Guadalajara. Martínez Lizán indicated that they also aim to include edible mushrooms as a quality designation in future editions.
Promoting New Markets
To enhance commercialization and open new markets for this sector, the Government of Castilla-La Mancha accompanies regional companies participating in Fruit Attraction. Martínez Lizán emphasized that it is a priority for companies to incorporate marketing improvement strategies, making participation in fairs like this one, both national and international, essential.
Since the first edition of Fruit Attraction, Castilla-La Mancha has had an institutional stand offering in-kind support to participating companies. This year, 14 companies are exhibiting under the regional government's umbrella, each with its own space within a common area that includes promotional activities and culinary demonstrations. Additionally, at least nine other companies are participating independently, showcasing the significant variety of productions represented.
Castilla-La Mancha boasts 41 quality designations grouped under the Campo y Alma brand, which guarantees the quality of products with Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) and Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) in the region. The Campo y Alma stand will host over a dozen activities, including showcookings and talks on garlic and green asparagus.
New Agro-Food Quality Law and Support for Third Countries
Furthermore, the minister noted that the Official Gazette of Castilla-La Mancha (DOCM) recently published a resolution opening a public information period for the draft agro-food quality law for twenty business days starting from the next business day after publication. This allows individuals, entities, or associations interested to make observations, suggestions, or claims.
The new Agro-Food Quality Law will replace the current Law 7/2007, aiming to adapt regional regulations to changes in European and national legislation in recent years. The new law seeks to provide the region with an updated framework to regulate official control, traceability, labeling, and quality of agro-food products.
Additionally, the DOCM will publish the call for aid for the Promotion of Wine in Third Countries tomorrow. This call is for the implementation of programs in 2027, promoting the search for alternative markets for wine outside the European Union. The deadline for submitting applications for the 2027 call will be 15 business days from the day following the publication of the regulatory modification.
