Inclement weather during the spring has affected fruit set reducing the crop by half in the region, according to the Murcia federation of co-operatives Fecoam.

'This is the third consecutive year growers have faced a poor season and some are just grubbing up their trees,' said Fecoam president Manuel Soler. 'We are setting up a new committee made up of agronomists from the co-operatives, officials from the regional government and researchers from the local research station to look into growing earlier varieties for the fresh market to be harvested in early May.' Researchers already have one new variety in mind, which produces large size fruit with high juice content.

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