Níspero Fruit

The dictionary says that these are called loquats in English but I had never seen them before moving to Spain. The níspero was introduced in Spain by merchant sailors specifically in Sagunto (Valencia), more than two thousand years ago, and from here spread throughout the Levante and the southeast of the Iberian Peninsula, finding the best habitat for cultivation in areas of the Mediterranean coast, in particular in Almunecar (Granada), in Callosa d'En Sarria (Alicante), region where the nispereros (Spanish for the trees that bears the fruit) enjoy Designation of Origin and in Malaga. The 37% of Spanish production is intended for European export, mainly to Italy and only 7% is intended to canning. Other producing countries are: Japan, Brazil, Algeria and India.

Countries which grow this fruit

And of course because we are in Spain there has to be at least one festival to celebrate the harvest of this exotic fruit.