High winds in Spain over the weekend have knocked citrus to the ground and caused more problems for courgette availability.

Winds hit speeds of up to 160km/h (100mph) on Saturday and Sunday along the coast of Valencia blowing mid-season orange varieties, especially Navel, Navelina and Lane from trees. According to growers’ association in Ava-Asaja in the region, some growers lost all their remaining production of these varieties as well as sustaining longer term damage to the trees themselves.

On Wednesday, producers and surveyors were still in the fields assessing damage as representatives from Ava-Asaja sought help from regional and national authorities. Cristóbal Aguado, president of Ava-Asja said: “Despite having one of the best farm insurance schemes in the world, year are after year we are suffering catastrophes that either are not covered or the level of insurance is well below that of the actual production in the field. This should give both the regional and national administration something to think about, especially in year when the ministry has decided to reduce subsidies on insurance policies.”

One exporter laments that this is just one factor in a catalogue of problems the citrus sector is having to face. He said: “Between low prices, rainfall, snow and frost, then now these winds it is proving a very challenging season.”

Vegetable production has also suffered once again making smooth supplies of capsicum, aubergine and courgettes even more difficult to achieve. Many UK supermarkets have been unable to source courgettes at all because of unseasonably cold temperatures in eastern and south-eastern Spain since the start of 2009.

Tesco vegetable buyer Tarik Abdel-Hady described the growing conditions as harshest in 30 years. He said: “Courgettes have become our most requested vegetable. Our stores across the UK have only had about a third of their normal quota. We are working flat out with our suppliers…as temperatures are warmer this week.”

The UK’s number-one retailer hopes to be back to 75 per cent of its usual volumes by the weekend with full availability by mid-February.

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