Farmer José Rui Santos, from Paderne, Albufeira, achieved a new national record by presenting a 905-kilo pumpkin at the VIII Giant Vegetables Competition "The Biggest in My Village", held at Parque da Senhora do Salto, in Aguiar de Sousa, in the municipality of Paredes. The specimen surpassed the previous record that already belonged to the farmer himself.
The result earned him first prize in the pumpkin category. José Rui Santos also obtained first and second places in the watermelon category, with specimens weighing 71.5 and 67.5 kilos respectively. The results are attributed to several months of work by the farmer and his wife, Cláudia Fernandes, who dedicate themselves to the specific care required for growing large vegetables.
The giant specimens will be on public display at the XVIII Dried Fruits Fair, on September 26 and 27, at Parque João Campos, in Paderne. The couple thanked the Paderne Parish Council for its support, which has encouraged producers to participate in various competitions.
After the fair in Paderne, José Rui Santos and Cláudia Fernandes will head to Barcelona to participate in an Iberian competition, where they had prepared two watermelons that were in the process of ripening, each possibly close to 100 kilos.
