The hailstorm that took place on Friday last week in some parts of the region of Axarquia has caused damage of varying degrees to fifty greenhouses, some early potato crops and fruits, such as loquat and avocado. At least that is what emerges from the preliminary report carried out by the technicians of Oficina Comarca Agraria (OCA) in Vélez-Málaga, an institution under the Provincial Delegation of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development.
In figures
Fifty greenhouses have suffered some form of damage from the hailstorm registered last Saturday in the region. The most serious damage affects 15 greenhouses, all in the area of El Morche, in the town of Torrox. The storm also hit the municipality of Lagos.
20% of the harvest of early potato crops in the area where the hailstorm was registered has been damaged, as well as some loquat and avocado plantations.
The purpose of this report, once all data is known and a final assessment of the losses is ready, is for it all to be submitted to the Council, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the European Union, in case there is any form of support available for those affected. According to the territorial delegate of Agriculture, Javier Salas, the Andalusian Government does not have any provisions for such cases.
The preliminary report prepared by the OCA shows that, of the fifty greenhouses that have been affected by hail, between 10 and 15 have very serious damage. The storm caused the collapse of some of them, destroying all the production they contained.
According to Salas, they have also been posted damaged early potato crop in the area, which could lose 20 percent of the harvest and fruit farms loquat and avocado.
The delegate of Agriculture, yesterday met with the technicians of the OCA to know the extent of the hailstorm in the region, said the report will not be closed until the declarations of the farmers concerned are known and that is collecting the City of Torrox, a town where the bulk of the losses are concentrated.
The hail hit primarily the area of El Morche, where there are about 500 greenhouses, as well as some key locations in the area of Lagos, next to the river Güi.
Salas stressed how important it is for producers to be aware of the need to sign an agricultural insurance. "Last October, the Andalusian Government earmarked five million Euro to help growers insure their crops," he said.
However, according to the agricultural organization COAG, agricultural insurances prevent greenhouses with old infrastructures, as is the case of those in the area affected by the hailstorm, to receive protection. For this reason, the provincial secretary, Juan Antonio García, has called for governmental institutions to become involved in the rehabilitation of the greenhouses and to request aid for the repair of damaged infrastructure and crops.
Although there is still no economic assessment of the damage, the Association of Municipalities of the Axarquía has also applied to the central, regional and provincial governments for aid to the growers affected.
The institution will also request an extraordinary Program of Agricultural Development (PFEA) for the affected municipalities, so that they can pay the wages that agricultural workers in the area will lose.
Source - freshplaza.com
