Seventy years ago, Foia de Castalla introduced two extraordinary pumpkin varieties to meet the needs of local workshops requested by Xixona nougat producers. One yielded delicate angel hair, while the other was processed into candied fruit that garnishes festive Christmas roses. Over time, this agricultural niche spread to neighboring areas, providing a livelihood for many families and becoming a meaningful economic contribution. Yet, recent years have reshaped the story. The activity has weakened due to a lack of intergenerational transfer and profitability that barely covers costs. Added to this, unusually high temperatures in the last months have slashed this season’s harvest, making the typical four million kilos unlikely to be reached.
Torres Gisbert is a standout producer in Castalla and Ibi, remaining one of the few growers in the area. José Torres runs the business with his partner, Juan Ramón Gisbert. He speaks with dedicated resolve about the crop, saying that it occupies his entire life. The roots trace back to their parents and uncles, who started with pumpkins because nougat makers demanded them. Around forty farms in the region pursued this path, with even more in nearby Biar, Villena, and El Comtat. Families joined during harvest time, though many small plots eventually lost profitability and folded away.
This gradual decline gave way to a period of consolidation, with fewer producers remaining. Torres notes that the same market forces favor large owners. He explains, “We’re not there yet, but we’re strong enough to adapt to the analyses required by external labs and the endless demands that push efficiency to the limit.”
The absence of a new generation entering the trade, combined with prices that fail to ignite growth, compounds the challenge. “We – he adds – fare better than many farmers because we can negotiate directly with buyers. Yet rising energy costs, fertilizer expenses, and phytosanitary products make this crop harder to sustain. It feels almost inevitable that it could vanish. I’m not sure how long we’ll endure.”
This warning would signal a broader risk for the national scene. White pumpkins, used for candied fruit, are produced in a small corner of Extremadura and nowhere near Foia de Castalla. To find angel hair pumpkins, one must travel to the Valladolid plateau. Climate plays a critical role, as very specific conditions are needed, especially temperature ranges. The person in charge at Torres Gisbert explains that flowering is fragile; if temperatures exceed 36 degrees, a common occurrence recently, the plants shed their fruits.
This is precisely the trouble facing crops this year, to the extent that production is being impacted across the board. White squash, currently in the core harvest window, has dropped by about 30 percent, equating to roughly 240,000 kilos fewer. “We endured weeks of extreme heat—peaks over 40 degrees—that reduced both the number and the weight of pumpkins. In this campaign, fruits range from 20 to 10 kilos, sometimes reaching as much as 40 kilos,” he notes.
Similarly, the angel hair pumpkin campaign, harvested from November through December, is now underway for the same reasons. “These plants are highly sensitive to heat—their large leaves absorb heat easily—so flowering started off poorly, and we’re waiting to see if rain will come. Without rain, we face a grim outlook.”
Although José Torres believes pumpkins still appear under major brand names, most production is sold to intermediaries who distribute to confectioners and candy makers nationwide. This all unfolds as desserts featuring angel hair and candied fruit shrink in availability. “Pumpkin fudge was once common, and nougat made with these ingredients was fashionable. Now, desserts have narrowed mostly to roscones de reyes and a handful of pastries,” he laments.
Handling before processing into confections
The work for white squash producers goes beyond planting and harvest. Before shipment, a pre-processing step is essential. Juan Ramón Gisbert of Torres Gisbert notes that the pumpkin bits look almost translucent once prepared. That transparency is prized by pastry chefs, who can flavor and color the product to suit sweetening demands.
Right after harvest, the pumpkin is cut into large pieces and packed in barrels for preservation. When orders arrive, it is cut again into smaller portions to match customer instructions. At that moment, the fruit is ready for candy making and awaits shipment in its barrels.
In the early days, customers handled much of the preparation themselves, peeling the pumpkin and finishing the product for confections. Bakeries then only needed to focus on candied confections. This shift has complicated operations and reduced the spread of farms, as labor demands have risen dramatically to keep up with the workflow, according to Torres.