The harvest of the earliest summer fruit varieties in the districts of la Costera and Vall d'Albaida is about to start and producers have confirmed that the plum has, once again, experienced a bad setting that will lead to a 70% decrease in its harvest, according to the first estimates.

Apricot yields will also be lower than expected for the fifth consecutive year and, as in the case of plums, climate change is to blame. In the Vall d'Albaida, the decline is between 25 and 30%, although it is still premature to calculate a definitive percentage.

After last year's ruinous campaign, producers expect a slightly higher-than-normal harvest in the rest of the stone fruits produced in these regions. However, they fear that the lack of rainfall could impact the caliber and quality of the fruit.

"A lot of fruit may not be marketable, ripening is very advanced and it should have already rained: we are in the period of fattening and the absence of rainfall will negatively affect the crops," stated Juan Jose Climent, a producer and secretary general of La Unió de Llauradors de la Vall d'Albaida.

The Secretary General of la Unió, Ricard Fillol, spoke about the poor evolution of plum in la Costera, a traditional crop in the region and very adapted to the climate. “Up until last year, I had never seen this crop fail. Last year it failed due to the lack of cold.” Meanwhile, khaki cultivation appears to be experiencing good growth, he added.

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com