25 Avr « Paprika was the Red Gold of Cabezo de Torres in the late nineteenth century »
EL CLARIN SPICES is proud to be a growing part of an export industry that continues to provide employment to the community and paprika to the world! This is especially true considering the current period of economic instability. A recent article in the newspaper La Verdad explains in an interview a little bit about our hometown, Cabezo de Torres, and its roots in the paprika export industry. Due to its favorable climate, Murcia has a long history as the agricultural breadbasket of Spain, and later Europe and beyond. Murcian produced lemons and paprika powder are used locally as a type of culinary Swiss army knife – improving everything from potato chips to octopus! Today, the town is still a pillar of the Spanish, and world, paprika and spice industry.
What is the red gold of the Murcian district of Cabeza de Torres?
Red gold, in this case, is paprika powder. The paprika processing industry in the late nineteenth century served as an economic cornerstone for the people, because many employers have been devoted to producing this spice. Since the end of the century there were many entrepreneurs who started with fig bread and paprika marketing.
And the yellow gold?
This is the lemon, the other pillar of the economy of Cabezo de Torres, thanks to the entrepreneurs who first started exporting from Murcia and finally to Europe and countries outside Europe.
What is distinctive about Cabezo de Torres?
I have been living here in this village for eighteen years, in direct contact with its people, and I’ve found it’s made up of a very welcoming and enterprising people, so I have decided to retire here. This direct contact is what made me understand the people in depth and want to capture its short, but thriving, history in the economic, cultural and associative contexts.
Why is it called the district head of Torres?
The population is divided into three hills, or cabezos in Spanish: de la Cruz, de Abajo and Girona and the name Torres comes from the person who was granted the land, Juan de Torres, who arrived in Murcia in 1243.
What has been more buoyant times the people?
In the middle of last century, when agricultural and manufacturing industries and exporters were at their most powerful. There was plenty of work and the population greatly expanded, becoming the most populous suburb of Murcia.
Another important moment?
Yes, the arrival of the Salesians in 1955. They have been the people’s cultural engine, first training professionals when the fate of the young was the fields and, simultaneously, being the focus of origin of most cultural and sports associations, have been as fundamental as the economic movement.
And the moments of greatest decline?
Unfortunately it may be the present time by the tragedy of unemployment, but nevertheless still are many old companies that are resisting the crisis and new ones have emerged in very different fields of the economy and this data is promising for the future.