Freezing temperatures have struck Spain at almost exactly the same time as last year’s frosts, again wreaking havoc with a whole range of crops.
The cold spell began on January 28 and continued into early February. Some 40-50 per cent of vegetable production including cauliflower, cabbage and lettuce in the Valencia region has been affected. Late citrus varieties such as Navel Late, Lane Late and Valencia Late are also under threat, according to producer group Unió Coag, as their lack of maturity and low sugar levels leaves them more vulnerable to the cold.
“Early and extra-early varieties of peach, plum and apricot have also suffered damage, although sporadic, due to delayed flowering,” a statement from grower group Ava-Asaja warned. “However we will have to wait for the trees to develop further to assess more accurately possible damage.”
Temperatures fell below 0°C in Huelva leaving fruit on strawberry plants awaiting maturation. The effects on the raspberry crop in the same region were similar.
Growers in Murcia and the renowned Campo de Cartagena region are concerned for some 5,000ha under production of a range of lines including broccoli and lettuce under threat of the Siberian temperatures.
Meanwhile although rainfall is proving beneficial for water reserves, it is causing concern in Almeria, according to grower association Coag Andalucia, as humidity in covered structures growing salad crops rises. This may increase the risk of botrytis and disease, while the cold is slowing maturity.
The next week will be crucial for a variety of crops, the organisation warned.
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