As many as 40 per cent of the fruit and vegetable producers in the Spanish region of Murcia could be forced to abandon their farms as a result of poor returns, a shortage of water and a fall in the profitability of their operations.
This is the view of regional fresh produce association Asaja Murcia, which has claimed that these pressures combined with the ongoing economic downturn could force a large number of the area’s growers out of business.
Asaja Murcia’s general secretary, Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca, has demanded the Spanish government provides financial aid to the sector in order to ensure the survival of the farms for younger generations.
“The regional fruit and vegetable sector is currently going through a difficult time and because of this it is vital that the government provides direct economic help to enable to incorporation of next generation into the businesses,” he said.
Mr Gálvez Caravaca also stressed the need for Murcia to follow the example of the neighbouring Spanish region of Andalucia, which is promoting its fresh produce through Hortyfruta, a specially-created interprofessional organisation.
