The Association of Irrigation Communities of Andalusia, Feragua, has denounced the "cuts on irrigation resources" established by the Hydrographic Confederation of the Guadalquivir (CHG) for strategic crops in the region in its draft revision of the Hydrological Plan, which defines water uses and allocations for agriculture for the next six years (2015-2021).

The irrigators have submitted a number of claims, showing their disagreement with the net water allocations established by the document for crops such as olives, strawberries, almond, corn, cotton, alfalfa and poplar trees, among others, "whose quality and production volumes will be directly affected by the deficit, consequently taking a toll on the wealth and jobs generated by such activities," said Feragua general secretary Pedro Farias.

These restrictions hint at "a poor appreciation of the agricultural sector as a secondary economic activity for the Basin," so the association considers it "essential" for the CHG to thoroughly assess the demands from the growers and come to terms with the crops' needs.

In this sense, Feragua explains that "the net provision is the water needed to bring the crop's cultivation to fruition," and clarifies that "this water demand does not vary as a result of the modernisation or improvement of the irrigation system."

The project of the Guadalquivir Water Plan establishes provisions of 4,500 cubic metres per hectare (m³/ha) of water for strawberries and other berries, 1,500 m³/ha for olive groves, 2,000 m³/ha for almonds, 4,500 m³/ha for alfalfa and poplar and 5,000 m³/ha for cotton.

These "are absolutely insufficient amounts," so irrigators propose different net provisions based on data from an agronomic study on the crops' needs carried out by the group Wats Technical Engineering SL.

The report concludes that, in the case of strawberries, between 5,000 and 6,000 m³/ha are needed (compared to 4,500 m³/ha established by the CHG). In the case of olives, between 1,290 and 2,500 m³/ha are required for traditional cultivation, between 2,000 and 4,000 for intensive cultivation, and between 2,500 and 5,000 for super-intensive cultivation (compared with only 1,500 m³/ha in the Hydrological Plan).

For almonds, an expanding crop in Andalusia, the Plan foresees a net provision of 2,000 m³/ha in a unitary manner, when, according to the report presented by the irrigation sector, between 2,000 and 3,000 are needed in intensive cultivation and between 3,500 and 6,000 in super-intensive. In this sense, Feragua clarifies that "current market trends are leading Andalusian growers to introduce almonds in irrigation areas, following the production model of California; that is, with intensive cultivation and very similar irrigation needs to those of other fruits." It is therefore "an irrigated crop, not rainfed, and as such it should be treated, so that it can yield a quality production that can be competitive in the global markets."Source - http://www.freshplaza.com/