In our area we have always heard the saying “Until the fortieth of May don’t take off your hat”, and this year it is true that we have welcomed the month of June with the expected rain.
According to data provided by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Spain’s water reserves represent 50.7% of its total capacity, with 28,074 cubic hectares of water[1]. Without significant rainfall, the volume of water is decreasing day by day, with alarming figures from the same meteorological agency showing that 326 cubic hectares were lost in the penultimate week of April alone.
In the Altiplano of Granada, as in the whole of Andalusia, the drought has caused major production problems in the countryside. It has caused significant losses for farmers and stockbreeders.
Cereal fields, citrus trees, fruit trees (cherry trees, peach trees…), almond trees, peppers, tomatoes… are affected in their growth and fruit production due to the lack of water and the high temperatures of the last months.
Drought is defined as a condition of below normal soil moisture for an extended period of time.
Water scarcity has many effects on agriculture, such as reduced yields and quality, higher prices and lower incomes for farmers.
In addition to directly affecting crops, drought can also reduce the amount of water available for irrigation. If a farmer does not have enough water for his crops, he may have to reduce the area he plants or switch from one crop to another that requires less water.
Our seasonal fruit and vegetable farmers have been affected by this drought, but they continue to put all their effort and dedication into their fields in order to get the maximum production possible and to be able to share it directly on your tables.
We start the month of June with rain in our Altiplano of Granada, a respite for our young seasonal vegetable farmers, such as Juan and Xio, Anita and Miguel or Joaquín and Maricruz, who continue to take care of their crops to soon be able to offer us tomatoes, courgettes and potatoes.
