Despite last month’s devastating floods, Spain will keep Europe supplied with fruit and vegetables
On 28-29 October, Spain – and Valencia in particular – suffered the worst flood in recent years, resulting in more fatalities than the famous flood of 1957.
The images of the aftermath of the disaster are shocking, but we need to take a step back in order to get a clearer assessment of its impact on production and how it will affect the market.
On 28 October a large hailstorm struck El Ejido, the epicentre of Almería’s greenhouse production. According to the authorities, the storm affected nearly 4,000ha, 10 per cent of the region’s greenhouse acreage, and today it is estimated that only 400 greenhouses have been destroyed or suffered direct damage to their crops. Therefore, even if we lose the entire harvest from these greenhouses, we would be looking at 1 per cent of the total harvest in Almería provided we do not have any more adverse weather incidents from hereon in.
In Murcia, meanwhile, the rain has been rather beneficial, we can say that the region’s supply of winter vegetables to the rest of Europe is guaranteed.
Tuesday 29 October was terrible for those of us in Valencia who were close to the overflowing rivers and ravines and who, to a greater or lesser extent, had to clear the mud out of their homes.
The accompanying image shows the rainfall recorded that day in the region’s 547 meteorological stations. The image speaks for itself and shows how this type of meteorological phenomenon, linked to autumn and directly related to the high temperature of the Mediterranean, always affects very limited areas. Unfortunately, it is not the first time that it has happened to us. The same thing happened in October 1957 at the headwaters of the Turia River, flooding the city of Valencia, and in 1982 at the headwaters of the Xúquer River, flooding the entire Ribera del Xúquer area.
On this occasion, the downpours – which exceeded 600 litres in one day in some areas – moved to the headwaters of the Magro River and to the ravines of Chiva and Torrente.
Damage to crops
The damage to agriculture has been studied and an estimate has been made, which I describe below.
Of these affected areas, not all of the harvest will be lost, but a significant part will be and the damage to agricultural infrastructure will be much higher. According to various sources, it is estimated that the losses to harvests could amount to between €200mn and €400mn and that the losses to agricultural infrastructure will be more significant, exceeding €500mn.
One must also take into account that the losses to production will result in a similar loss of wages for harvesting, preparing and marketing the affected fruits and vegetables.
How will these losses impact the market?
The most significant loss are to the persimmon crop, because production is concentrated in the Ribera del Xúquer and the majority of the 7,118ha of fruit trees affected – according to local government reports, are persimmon trees. In addition, the fruit was already ripe and it is a more delicate fruit than citrus. There were still around 300,000 tonnes to be harvested and it is estimated that 200,000 tonnes have been lost. This leaves a marketable crop of 100,000 tonnes that will be sold until Christmas, obviously at a slower pace than expected.
In citrus, the 14,736ha affected represent 9 per cent of the total acreage Valencian Community and nearly 5 per cent of Spain’s total planted. Therefore, it is possible that overall, the positive effects of the much-needed rains in the areas not directly affected by the Dana will have a positive impact on the harvest.
It is important to note that the Dana has affected the main satsuma-producing area, where the crop was ready to be harvested, and this will therefore be the most affected variety. The remaining early clementines, Arrufatinas and the last Oronules will also be affected, as well as some areas where the Clemenules will suffer from pixat due to waterlogging.
Logistically, fruits and vegetables trucked from Andalusia, Murcia and the south of Valencia to the rest of Europe are experiencing delays due to the motorway in Valencia still not being cleared. Right now, trucks can only cross Valencia between 19:00 and 07:00, but the important thing is that they are still getting through.
In conclusion, and after the great misfortune of having lost so many human lives, the whole of the fruit and vegetable marketing sector in Spain will once again rise to the challenge of feeding European and Spanish consumers with citrus, the persimmons that remain and vegetables from the south, and will quickly repair the damage suffered in infrastructure and warehouses.
