Vega Baja artichokes court 121,000 buyers in Madrid

Today's essentials (5 key points)

• The Port of Alicante is using Fruit Attraction at IFEMA Madrid to pitch itself as a specialist logistics hub for fruit and vegetable shipping, Elperiodic Alicante reports.
• Alicante city expects a low of 20 and a high of 29 degrees on Wednesday 7 October 2026, with a 68% chance of scattered showers according to Open-Meteo.
• The ADDA·Simfònica Alicante will play Dvořák, Saint-Saëns and Beethoven in 'Natura' at the ADDA, AlicanteOut reports.
• A mother and her three young children face eviction in Alicante on Thursday 8 October 2026, according to TodoAlicante.
• Manuel Lafuente is leaving his post as provincial head of the Policía Nacional in Alicante after more than four years, TodoAlicante reports.

Today's essentials

Vega Baja artichokes court 121,000 buyers in Madrid. The Vega Baja artichoke is being pitched to the world this week: the Asociación Alcachofa de la Vega Baja has been at Fruit Attraction, the international fruit and vegetable trade fair at IFEMA Madrid, since Tuesday 6 October 2026, according to elperiodic Alicante.

The show is huge. Its 18th edition brings together 2,500 exhibiting companies from more than 150 countries, with organisers expecting 121,000 trade visitors across 162,000 m². The Diputación de Alicante has its own stand of more than 140 m² in Hall 3, promoting eight products from the province: cherries from the Montaña de Alicante, loquats from Callosa d'en Sarrià, Vinalopó table grapes, Elche pomegranates, Vega Baja artichokes, early figs (brevas) from Albatera, Mutxamel tomatoes and Elche dates. Provincial deputy Carlos Pastor opened the stand with Bigastro-born designer Eduardo Navarrete. Also there were chef Aurora Torres, Generalitat agriculture minister Vicente Barrachina, the mayors of Orihuela and Cox, and association president Antonio Ángel Hurtado. One detail on the end date: elperiodic says the fair runs until 10 October, while other trade sources give 8 October.

Why it matters at home: according to agronewscomunitatvalenciana.com, Vega Baja del Segura artichoke growing has expanded from 1,562 hectares in 2015 to 2,500 hectares in the 2025/2026 season. That makes the area Spain's second-biggest producer after Murcia, with nearly half of Spain's exported artichokes coming from here. The association is also applying for the Marca de Calidad CV, the Valencian Community's quality label, but has not yet been granted it.

Want to taste it at the source? Head to the growing towns named by local outlets, including Orihuela, Almoradí, Callosa de Segura, Pilar de la Horadada, San Miguel de Salinas, Dolores and Formentera del Segura. Orihuela and Callosa de Segura both have stations on the Cercanías line between Alicante and Murcia, so you can go by train. For Almoradí, Dolores and the smaller villages, you will realistically need a car. In Los Montesinos, Aurora Torres runs the Lula y La Herradura restaurant, so it is a natural stop if you want to see what a local chef does with the vegetable. Artichokes are generally an autumn to spring crop, so the coming months are the time to look out for them at local markets.

What this means for you: this autumn, buy Vega Baja artichokes from a market in Orihuela or Almoradí rather than the supermarket, and you will be backing a crop that the province is now selling worldwide. If you want to follow the story, there may be more announcements for the Vega Baja while the Madrid fair continues, which runs until 8 or 10 October depending on the source (elperiodic Alicante).

Weather today

Warm and showery across the Costa Blanca. Alicante city can expect a low of 20 and a high of 29 degrees on Wednesday 7 October 2026, with scattered showers, a 68% chance of rain and winds up to 16 km/h, according to Open-Meteo.

The south coast is the wettest spot today: Santa Pola has the same 20 to 29 degree range as Alicante, but the chance of showers rises to 80%, with light winds up to 12 km/h. Inland is noticeably cooler. Pinoso stays between 16 and 24 degrees under overcast skies, with a 53% chance of rain and the day's strongest gusts at 22 km/h. Short sleeves will do on the coast, but keep a compact umbrella with you. If you are heading inland this evening, take a light layer.

Transport & traffic

• Port of Alicante bids for the fruit trade. Elperiodic Alicante reports that the Port of Alicante is at Fruit Attraction, the fresh produce trade fair at IFEMA Madrid, pitching itself as a specialist logistics platform for fruit and vegetable shipments. The logic is simple: fresh produce grown in the province could leave through its own port rather than travelling by road to other hubs. For residents, nothing changes immediately on ferries or cruises. It is a commercial strategy worth watching, as more fruit and veg traffic would mean more freight activity around the port and the city's access roads.

Local news to know

• Family of four faces eviction on Thursday. A woman and her three underage children are due to be evicted in Alicante on Thursday 8 October 2026, TodoAlicante reports, as a sign that evictions are continuing in the city.
• Alicante police chief steps down. According to TodoAlicante, Manuel Lafuente is leaving his post as provincial head of the Policía Nacional in Alicante after more than four years, saying the city is home and that he will come back.
• Dvořák, Saint-Saëns and Beethoven at the ADDA. The ADDA·Simfònica Alicante, with Carles Marín and Nayden Todorov, will perform Dvořák, Saint-Saëns and Beethoven in 'Natura', part of the 2026/27 symphony season at the ADDA, AlicanteOut reports.
• Women comedians take over the Principal. 'Cómicas', a show featuring some of today's best-known female stand-ups, is coming to the Teatro Principal de Alicante, according to AlicanteOut, which describes it as light-hearted comedy for all audiences.