Calçots season begins, farmers expect to harvest 20 million units

The Calçots season, these long green sweet onions, is underway in Catalonia after chef Eduard Xatruch from Disfrutar restaurant harvested the first examples over the weekend.

Farmers of the protected geographical indication of the Calçot de Valls hope to harvest similar numbers to the last season, when they collected around 20 million units. Experts are optimistic about good meteorological conditions, and they are also promoting several events to taste the sweet vegetable.

This year, they organized the first-ever Calçofest, featuring numerous activities and a large Catalan music concert in Valls.

Organizers and city council authorities forecast economic impacts of around €750,000 and €1 million.

Hotels nearby almost hung the no vacancy signs, and many restaurants were full.

Aside from live music, Eduard Xatruch, from Barcelona's Disfrutar restaurant, named the World's Best Restaurant, urged protecting local produce to promote Catalan cuisine. He was in charge of harvesting the first group of calçots from a field in the Alt Camp.

The calçotada, the lunch where friends or families get together to eat calçots, "is a huge part of the Catalan cultural gastronomy," Xatruch said.

"Calçot are winter vegetables that need low temperatures for the sugar to transform, and this year the phenomenon will take place on its own," Isidre Coll, president of the IGP Calçot de Valls, said.

PODCAST: Calçots and calçotades – Catalonia's onion craze

From the outside, calçots may appear to be just a simple, humble vegetable, but for Catalans, they are the centerpiece of the calçotada – big, social barbecues that are hugely popular during the winter and early spring. 

Press play below to listen to a Filling the Sink podcast episode published in February 2022 on calçots or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.