The abnormally high temperatures recorded in Valencia in May are having a negative impact on the development of almost all crops, including citrus, for which the excessive heat has already resulted in serious problems in the settling.
The water stress suffered by the trees greatly complicates the physiological development of the plant and prevents the setting process to develop normally. Given this extreme situation, the trees react by shedding a large volume of fruit, which at this time are still in a very early stage.
The technical services of the Valencian Growers Association (AVA-ASAJA) confirmed that massive amounts of these small citrus, which were called to be part of the future citrus harvest, are falling, and thus production volumes in the new citrus season will suffer a significant decline. At the moment it is still premature to make a quantitative estimate because it is necessary to analyse the development of the trees in the coming weeks, although in some areas and in certain varieties up to 80% of the harvest could have been lost.
Early mandarins, especially varieties such as the Marisol, Clemenrubi or Oronules, as well as those in the Satsuma group, will record a severe decline in production. This is a severe blow to the thousands affected by this situation, because, in the case of citrus fruits, insurances only cover the impact of such weather conditions from 1 August.
Given the seriousness of the problem, AVA-ASAJA has asked Enesa, the state agency that regulates agricultural insurances, to extend the contract period for this climatic anomaly.
Since growers currently don't have the option to take out insurance to cover the fruit drop taking place, AVA-ASAJA President Cristóbal Aguado stated that it is essential for the governments to become involved and implement aid or compensatory measures, either through special lines of credit or fiscal measures."
Furthermore, citrus fruits are not the only crops suffering the adverse impact of the high temperatures in May in Valencia. Kakis and grapes are also registering setting problems, and rainfed arable crops have suffered significant damage. In the case of kakis, the insurance coverage period for such circumstances starts from 1 July, so the fruits so far affected are not eligible for the insurance, while for the other crops mentioned insurances will cover the damages.