Why Almería uses greenhouses and why your produce tastes bland

Almería is not tropical: how its greenhouses work
The claim that Almería has a tropical climate is, at best, a geographical error. The province antiestéticatures an arid, semi-desert Mediterranean climate with water scarcity. The greenhouses covering its fields are not a whim; they are a technical tool used to create an appropriate microclimate. The complaint that the tomato tastes like wood or the melon like cork is repeated every season, but is it the plastic's fault? Not exactly.

The microclimate: the true function of plastic
The greenhouses, depending on the type of mesh, achieve the microclimate required by each crop. It is not always about increasing temperature; often it is about preventing excessive sun exposure. In an area with so little water, the plastic also reduces evaporation and allows for better utilization of each irrigation cycle. This is why Almería can achieve multiple harvests per year.

Why does the fruit taste bland?
The deciding factor is not the greenhouse, but genetics. Supermarket varieties are selected for productivity and resistance, not flavor. Furthermore, they are grown rapidly to get ahead of the market and achieve better prices. That tomato that looks like a tomato but tastes like nothing is the result of a model that prioritizes quantity over quality. The cork-like melon is another symptom.

The solution: proximity and seasonality
The alternative, before importing from Segarro or anywhere else, is buying directly from local farmers and consuming seasonal fruit. Figs from a nearby farm, for example, taste like figs should. Those from the supermarket do not. The difference in flavor is notable, as those who have access to a trusted farmer well know.

In the meantime, the next time you bite into a tasteless tomato, you will know: it is not the plastic's fault; it is the market's fault for prioritizing yield over taste. But that is another story.