The fruit that is here to stay in Alta Axarquía

If a few decades ago the chickpea was the star product of Alfarnate, today this legume has been replaced by the cherry, an acidic fruit that has found itself in the climate and geographical location of this municipality – above 900 meters above sea level. sea ​​level- an ideal location for quality production. Currently, there are more than twenty varieties of cherries grown in the fields of Alfarnate. Among them, the most common is the 'quince' variety (many of the existing types are identified with numbers), although there are also others that occur in a certain quantity, such as the 'celeste', which is characterized by being especially sweet, the 'burlat', which is one of the earliest, or 'heart of goat', which is one of the latest. To them we must add other varieties, such as the 'starking', the 'bing' or the 'lapin'. Around 4 thousand cherry trees make it possible for approximately 70,000 and 80,000 kilos to be produced in Alfarnate each year. Most are consumed directly as fruit, although there are also those who make liqueurs with them or use them to make a suggestive gazpacho.

Distribution

A good part of the Alfarnateña cherry harvest is distributed within the province of Malaga. Some producers take the product directly to some locations, such as Málaga, Vélez-Málaga or municipalities on the Costa del Sol, while others wait in Alfarnate to sell them directly from there. In fact, every year thousands of people come to the Cherry Festival to be able to purchase them directly from the farmers. It is a gastronomic event that serves every year not only to sell but also to highlight this healthy acid fruit. In recent years, some plots of another red fruit, the raspberry, have also begun to be planted, with which a local company, Licores de la Abuela, makes an alcoholic drink. Along with it, a liqueur with cherries or resoli, made from coffee, is also made in the town.