In the popular proverb, April is usually known as one of the rainiest months. This year, on the contrary, in the first 16 days, an average of five liters of rain per square meter have been collected in Spain, a figure that represents only 15% of the average. But the problem is not only that it doesn’t rain this month, but also the lack of rain both this year and last year. This situation together with the increases in inflation will cause many of the basic foods to increase their prices considerably.
A situation report carried out by the Coordinator of Organizations of Farmers and Ranchers (COAG) He reports that drought is already stalking 60% of the Spanish countryside. A situation that has produced the loss of 3.5 million hectares of rainfed cereals. Thus, it is expected that supply will sink and impact prices. However, the Secretary General of Agriculture and Food, Fernando Miranda, affirms that an analysis of the effects of the drought will have to be carried out product by product.
One of the products that have been affected the most is olive groves. In Jaén, one of the areas of Spain with the highest oil production, production has fallen by more than 50%, and the fruit that has been obtained is considerably smaller. In the countryside, extra virgin olive oil is already trading at between five and six euros, 30% above the 2015 record. Prices that are expected to continue to inflate as the months go by.
Another major affected by the drought is the cereal. Is one of the products that had increased its cost the most due to the war in Ukraine, as the country is one of the largest exporters in the world. Among all the cereals, lThe two that are being most affected are wheat and barley. For example, in February 2023, soft wheat traded on average at 325.25 euros per ton, while last year on these same dates it traded at 292.9.
Fruit trees are the ones that demand the most water to be able to carry out production. Among them are citrus fruits and stone fruits such as peach, nectarine, apricots and cherries. Fruits are already up more than 20% compared to last year.
Meanwhile, in the irrigation, there will be significant cuts in the amount of irrigation, which will reduce harvests due to the impossibility of irrigating and will affect horticultural crops and summer crops such as broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, watermelons and melons. Similarly, many farmers will reduce their plantings of corn, sunflower, cotton, rice or legumes.
Not only will spring and summer plantings be affected, but other winter crops They could be in the same situation if the lack of rain is prolonged, onions, beets or garlic are among the possible victims.
The cattle raising it will also be directly affected by the cuts in water, especially the extensive one where sheep and goat production stands out. At the same time, the rise in the price of alfalfa by more than 40 cents per kilo will harm the intensive farm in the same way.
