Portuguese farmer sets national record with 905kg pumpkin

Algarve farmer José Rui Santos has set a new Portuguese national record by growing a pumpkin weighing 905 kilograms. The massive vegetable earned first prize in the pumpkin category at the VIII Giant Vegetable Competition, ‘O Maior da Minha Aldeia’, held in Aguiar de Sousa, Paredes.

In addition to the record-breaking pumpkin, Santos and his wife, Cláudia Fernandes, secured both first and second place in the watermelon category with specimens weighing 71.5kg and 67.5kg, respectively. The couple, who specialize in cultivating oversized produce, plans to display the vegetables at the XVIII Mostra dos Frutos Secos in Paderne on September 26 and 27.

Following the local exhibition, the pair intends to compete in an Iberian competition in Barcelona. They are currently preparing two additional watermelons for the event, which are expected to approach 100kg each.