Avocados from the Tramuntana: Why Sóller Is Embracing the Green Fruit More and More

Avocados from the Mountains: Not an Import, but a Part of Mallorca

When I ride on a cool morning along the switchbacks above Port de Sóller, the air smells of earth and citrus — and sometimes of fresh green that you hardly expect: avocado trees, often in small plots between orange and olive groves. The fruits that ripen here feel almost luxurious: firm, creamy, and with a dense, butter-like texture.

Why the Tramuntana Works

The reason is not luck. The soils are mineral-rich, the Sierra’s springs provide cool mountain water, and many valleys are sheltered from the wind. In Sóller and the surrounding area these conditions form a small microclimate where avocados experience less stress than in the plains. Small farmers often sit right next to their fields, pick by hand, and sell the harvest at the market or in the village shop.

Yes, prices are higher – with the kilo price sometimes around eight euros. But those who sample in the Sóller market hall or at a stall in Port de Sóller quickly notice the difference to mass-market avocados from wholesale: more intense, creamier, with a nutty aftertaste.

Water Remains the Issue

One catch remains: consumption. All told, a hectare of avocado trees requires between about 6,000 and 8,000 cubic meters of water per year. That is not negligible, especially in dry summers. This year there have already been water-saving restrictions in the region — yet many small farms have still brought in their harvest. Some rely on drip irrigation systems and collect rainwater, others reduce acreage.

Across Mallorca, roughly 114 hectares are registered for avocados; Spain as a whole already has much larger cultivation areas and is an important exporter in Europe. For the island’s northwest, the fruit means an additional source of income alongside citrus and olive oil — you feel that in conversations at the bakery or at the market stall.

I think it’s nice when things we love on the plate also grow here. But we should always ask: How sustainable is that? The answer isn’t black and white. Between enjoyment and resource protection, negotiations in Sóller are quite intense at the moment.

A local person looks at fields and plates – and still likes to buy a local avocado for breakfast.