San Vitero became a showcase for called Alistano red gold with the 1st Aliste Tomato Fair, an event promoted by the San Vitero City Council and supported by local entities and producers to give visibility to a crop that adds quality and roots.
With an informative and participatory approach, the event brought together residents and visitors in the fairground to enjoy an exhibition, a round table on the future of the sector, a tasting pairing with La Mela Winery and local honey and a contest that crowned the largest tomato.
Program and activities
From the 10 pm, the fair opened with a photographic exhibition that covered tomato cultivation in Aliste, highlighting its cultural and economic weight in the region.
At noon, at 12 pm, producers and specialists took part in the round table “The future of Alistano Red Gold”, a debate focused on challenges, opportunities and ways of sustainability for the sector.
The gastronomic aspect reached the 13 pm with the pairing tasting, where Alistano tomato was tasted in combination with wines from Bodega La Mela and honey from the area, a proposal designed to highlight the flavor and the culinary possibilities of the product.
The competitive finishing touch was put at 14 pm’s most emblematic landmarks, the Alistano Tomato King Contest, focused on awarding the largest piece as a nod to the land fertility and to the good work of the gardeners.
Results and balance of the day
The award for the “King of the Alistano Tomato” went to a piece of 1.601 grams cultivated by the company Savor yourself (Tola), which symbolizes the dedication of local producers and the quality reached by the product.
The podium was completed with examples of The Poyo and Saint John of Rebollar, the latter in the hands of a young producer linked to Campo Aliste, highlighting the quarry of new generations making their way in the trade.
According to the organization, the meeting had very good reception and served to reinforce the message of the mayor, Vanessa Mezquita: the Alistano tomato generates direct and indirect employment during more than six months a year and acts as a lever to establish population and revitalize the rural environment.
The Alistano tomato: flavor and cultivation
The typicality of the Alistano tomato is recognized in its firm and juicy meat, pinkish color, few seeds and low acidity, features that make it ideal for both salads and fillet and taste raw.
His campaign usually lasts from mid-August to November and reaches the consumer through a short chain: from the field to the fruit stores without going through long cold chains, which helps preserve aromas and texture.
Producers and marketing
Among the notable initiatives is Campo Aliste (Gourmet Selection), which works with the variety Rose of Barbastro and a base of 107.000 plants, articulating a network of gardeners in towns such as Palazuelo de las Cuevas, San Juan del Rebollar, Figueruela de Arriba, San Cristóbal, Riofrío de Aliste, Rabanales, Grisuela, Ceadea, San Martín del Pedroso and Sarracín.
Your tomatoes are already in large cities of Spain and have crossed borders into markets such as France and Saudi Arabia, combining direct sales, specialized fruit stores and distribution platforms.
Likewise, Savor yourself, driven by brothers José Antonio and Vanessa Rodríguez Mezquita from Tola, has consolidated a marketing line with an operational base in Saint Viterus, while advancing its own plant to continue expanding capacity and reach.
A commitment to the territory
The fair was born with a vocation for continuity, focusing on the local economy, generational change and public-private collaboration, with support such as Rural Bank of Zamora and the region's productive fabric.
Beyond the celebration, the 1st Aliste Tomato Fair leaves a clear message: the Aliste tomato transcends the gastronomic and consolidates itself as an axis of identity, entrepreneurship and future for San Vitero and the entire region.