Spain: La Chulapona gives its name and surname to the Madrid potato
The Madrid potato is real, it has its own identity and aspires to occupy a place on consumers’ shopping lists.
Madrid has 303,000 hectares of usable agricultural land, and a significant 1% of it is responsible for generating 44% of the region’s economic output from crops. Of these crops, 330 hectares are dedicated to potato production.
With more than four decades of experience in growing, handling and marketing potatoes, Frusangar has turned its brand into more than just a commercial venture.
La Chulapona is the name that embodies the Madrid potato, guaranteeing its origin, traceability, and quality, thanks to the efforts of farmers in the Las Vegas region. The company has focused on cultivating a new potato variety in the fertile soils of municipalities such as Fuentidueña de Tajo and Villamanrique de Tajo.
Among its characteristics, the Soprano variety stands out, a potato with a thin skin, few roughnesses and a homogeneous appearance that is well adapted to both frying and boiling, making it a benchmark in Madrid cuisine.
The freshness of the product, combined with local cultivation, strengthens its position as an icon of the region’s production.
The crucial role of the factory
After visiting the agricultural lands, the participants toured the Frusangar facilities in Navalcarnero, observing the sorting, washing, selection and packaging process that preserves quality from the field to the stores.
This operation relies on traceability and close collaboration with farmers to offer a homogeneous product without losing its identity.
Strengthening the sector through networking
Beyond the technical aspects, bringing together all the actors in the food chain was one of the event’s greatest achievements. Producers, industry representatives, distributors, government officials, and sector organizations shared experiences and proposed ways to further promote local products, highlighting the effort behind each food item.
The Director General of Agriculture for the Madrid region, Ángel de Oteo, pointed out that initiatives like this highlight the value of the primary sector. Behind every potato are months of hard work by farmers.
Nicolás Poveda, president of ASEACAM, agreed that showing how food is produced helps to promote our products and bring them closer to the consumer.
Gonzalo Reguera, director of Markets and Services at Mercamadrid, also highlighted the importance of knowing the origin of food to reinforce the commitment to local products.
Fuente: revistacampo.es
