The effects of March’s inclement weather are now starting to be felt by stonefruit growers in the south-eastern Spanish region of Murcia.

Growers, insurers and the regional authorities have valued total losses at some €30 million (£20.5m) following strong winds, rain and hail that affected the region in March and caused damage of at least 30 per cent, depending on individual cultivars, to nectarines, apricot, peach and plum crops. Plum production appears to have been the worst hit, with damage of 80 per cent of the region’s crop, and apricots have been hit to the tune of 60 per cent.

Open-field vegetable and protected salad and ornamental crops were also damaged, as were protective nets over grapes. “The worst hit crops are the early and extra early varieties,” said a spokesperson for the national producer-exporter federation Fepex.

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