Spain: Storm Gloria causes major damages in Mediterranean agriculture

Storm Gloria has caused great damage to different crops throughout the Mediterranean coast although a more accurate assessment is still pending, estimates point to damages to 9,000 hectares in Valencia Region, 3,000 in Catalonia and about 1,000 in Almería.

Valencia, Murcia and Almería

In the Valencia Region, the citrus crops, which have suffered the most damage, are those that have yet to be harvested in the second half of the season. Losses of more than €46.4 million are estimated.

As far as vegetables are concerned, many lands have been completely flooded and will suffer losses of around €3.1 million. Even plots where potatoes and onions have been recently sown, farmers will be forced to replant. Considerable damage has also be caused to agricultural infrastructures, valued at €11.8 million.

Many of the vegetable fields in the Murcia Region have also be flooded by heavy rains. The current situation makes it difficult to harvest broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes. In addition, the intense could and cloudy days are slowing down plant growth, which is affecting supply.

Regarding Almería , it is said that around 1,000 hectares of greenhouses are affected. The province area more impacted has early melon, zucchini and tomato. A grower died when his greenhouse collapsed by the hail.

Spain will continue to export rice

In addition to the damage caused in Cataluña fruit-growing areas, Gloria has been particularly harsh in the Ebro Delta wetland, which has been literally swallowed by the sea (Fig. 1).

The sea, penetrating 3 kilometers inland into the Ebro Delta, has covered 3,000 hectares of rice fields and farmers fear it will render the land unusable. However later estimates are less pessimistic. Gloria scourge has occurred when the land was waiting to be cultivated, which will take place at the end of April or beginning of May. The immediate effect of the storm will the delay in the starting of rice sowing. For the rice farmers of the area, “we will have less production, but the season won’t be lost”.

The Ebro Delta has the third largest rice concentration in Spain, with 22,000 hectares, behind the 37,000 on the Guadalquivir banks (Andalucía) and the 30,000 hectares in Extremadura.

Some 150,000 tons of rice are grown in the Ebro Delta every year, ahead of the 120,000 tons harvested in Valencia Region (with 15,200 hectares dedicated to this crop). The total Spanish production of rice is 825,000 tons, most of which is exported as domestic consumption does not exceed 250,000 tons per year.

Apart from other important material losses, Storm Gloria has caused 13 dead and 4 missing people as well.

Several sources