Simon Wade
ALMOST a tonne of oranges have been sent from Orihuela to a school in a small town in Leon as part of a promotional campaign.
The citrus goods were sent to the education centre in Valverde de la Virgen to boost the image of the Costa Blanca’s food export.
Orihuela’s organic orange is the first crop to be given to students, with 900 kilos of the fruit being transported some 800km to the school in northern Spain.
Grown in an orchard in Hurchillo and packed in Valencia, it is hoped the children will persuade their parents to buy fruit from the Costa Blanca region.
Valverde de la Virgen was chosen because of Luis Almarcha, a famous holy man who was born in Orihuela but would later became Bishop of Leon, before dying in 1974.
The mayor of Orihuela, Emilio Bascuñana, intends to promote the region as a holiday destination as well as a source of quality fruit.
The Department of Tourism is therefore also sending merchandise to the students.
More foodstuffs will be sent out to various other parts of Spain, such as broccoli and artichoke – all with the same objective of promoting the region and its crops.
