Is the Calabaza the Next Great Gourd for Growers in the Southeastern U.S.? UF/IFAS Is One Step Closer to a Choice Cultivar

Researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences are establishing the Calabaza as a choice cultivar in the Southeast.

Geoffrey Meru, a UF/IFAS vegetable geneticist and his team at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead have laid the groundwork to make Calabaza a choice cultivar for growers in the southeast. They hope to release the powerful potential of the calabaza that packs a punch for its nutritional content, adaptability and sustainability.

The most recent ethnic market analysis for calabaza in Florida was estimated at a value of $5 million, while its total imports into the United States are estimated at $30 million.

Meru and his team have laid the groundwork for chefs, growers, consumers and a variety of industries by also focusing on whether the calabaza provides the right combination of profit, wider consumer demand and usefulness for a variety of industries. With the right combination, the calabaza could be the next pumpkin of choice for those working in the brewing, food, agriculture and health industries for its desirable qualities as a sustainable Florida crop.

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