Lemons, wine and golf: a very Spanish cocktail

Golf, wine and a splash of lemons: Spain has it all to offer this summer.

Spain’s famously sunny climate may draw millions of tourists in their droves each year, but the UV rays that beam down on the country all-year round actually help boost three of the country’s strongest industries: lemons, wine and golf…

Put all three together and you have an oddly refined lads’ holiday, but taken individually all three do wonders for the Spanish economy, and it’s all thanks to the excellent weather.

First up, lemons. According to Spain’s Council of Agriculture, Málaga’s lemon production in 2015 will increase by 10% compared to last year, boosted by a warmer-than-average 12 months that have seen citrus groves bloom for longer.

In the Málaga province alone, more than 74,000 tonnes of lemons will be produced in 2015, while grapefruit production is up by more than 200%.

“Lemon is one of Málaga’s staple crops, along with subtropical fruits, olives and grapes,” said José Luis Ruiz Espejo, regional government delegate for Málaga.

Speaking of grapes, Spain has retained its position as one of the world’s leading wine-producing nations, boasting 1.02 million hectares of vineyards – more than any other country.

China is now the second-largest vineyard area in the world with 799,000 hectares, pushing France into third place. France, however, still produces more wine than any other country – delivering 46.7 million hectolitres in 2014.

The USA consumes the most wine – Americans drank 30.7 million hectolitres last year – while the UK and Germany import the most of the good stuff.

Now, on to golf. The Costa del Sol is renowned for being a haven for golfers, and a recent poll by Avios Airmiles Value Tracker has found that four out of the top ten golf courses in Europe are located in Spain.

Courses in Palma, near Gibraltar, Alicante and the Costa del Sol all made the top ten in the poll, which also surveyed 3,000 estate agents who said that properties near to golf courses tended to increase their value at a faster rate than other, similar properties that were not near to golf courses.