Placido Perez Chuecos, the president of COAG in Lorca, stated that the lack of rain was making producers rethink the summer campaign, which focuses mainly on watermelon and melon, and that this lack of water could affect the caliber of the fruit. “We started the summer campaign but the dry weather has affected the plants. They lack moisture and the watermelon is curdling before it should because the plants don't have the strength for the fruit to grow.”

Producers are worried about the crops they are planting because of the lack of rain. They know they'll have water from the Tajo-Segura Transfer System until June, but if it does not rain soon they can't ensure the autumn campaign will start in September normally. "We have the water from the desalination plants but it is not enough water and it costs a lot of money," stated Perez Chuecos.

Currently, the marshes of the Segura basin are at 35.3% of their total capacity, with reserves of 402 cubic hectometres, 7 less than last week and 63 cubic hectometres less than on the same date of the previous year, according to data from the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge; this volume is well below the 541 cubic hectometres average of the last decade and the basin's 1,140 cubic hectometres total capacity.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com