Heavy rains in the Valencia region of Spain are proving a blessing for some crops but causing devastation for others.
Rainfall in some parts of the region reached 400l per square metre on October 11-12 during rainstorms, which swept the region in a 60-mile strip almost 20 miles wide from Valencia down to Benidorm.
Damage was greatest to agricultural and horticultural infrastructure, but some citrus groves were flooded for more than 30 hours endangering trees, growers’ association Ava-Asaja has warned. “Anything more than a few inches of water threatens oranges and other citrus lines as fungus can attack and rot the fruit,” said the association’s president Cristobal Aguado. “Over the next few days it is crucial to apply fungicidal treatment.” But as FPJ went to press, rain was forecast to continue until October 19 making it difficult for growers to make the necessary applications.
However, he added that rainfall is helping bulk up citrus in weight and size. “But there are vegetable crops for which this rainfall marks the end of their season such as potatoes and aubergine,” said Aguado.
At Frutas Oliver Alzira, Florent Sevestre said the rains were causing delays. “It is setting picking of oranges and clementines back by about a week,” he told freshinfo. “It is also delaying the onion crop, but we always have some rain every year in October. And there are no major effects on other vegetables. It would be a different matter if there were crops of courgettes or broccoli, which are more susceptible to the rainfall, but those are grown further south. In Valencia cauliflower and cabbage production is not being harvested yet so there are no real problems at this stage.”
And further south in Alicante, Asaja-Alicante president Eladio Aniorte said that the rainfall has “saved” the pomegranate crop.
No comments yet