LA UNIÓ de Llauradors (the Growers' Union) has estimated the direct losses caused by the heavy rainfall and floods, recorded last December, which were accompanied by wind and even hail, at close to 320 million Euro. This amount does not include other indirect losses that have undoubtedly occurred or will occur.
To this figure we must add the more than 250 million Euro that had already been estimated to be lost due to the impact of the severe drought and other adverse weather conditions, so overall, the year 2016 has been a very harmful one for growers in the Region of Valencia. We could be talking about a total loss of about 700 million Euro.
The most serious incident of 2016 were the rains recorded in December, mainly in the period between 16 and 19 December, when more than 140,000 hectares of crops were affected (almost 76,000 in Valencia, more than 39,000 in Alicante and more than 32,000 in Castellon). By provinces, the biggest losses have been suffered by Valencia, with about 151 million Euro, followed by Castellon with more than 91 and Alicante with more than 76 million Euro. The most affected crop has been citrus fruits, with more than 201 million Euro, followed by vegetables, with 70.4 million, kakis, with 21.7, olives, with 20.5 or table grapes, with 3.8 million Euro.
LA UNIÓ stated that both the Government of Spain and the regional Government of Valencia have reacted quickly announcing a line of aid, although this is focused on the repair of infrastructure, which has been heavily affected by the storms, while no measures have been introduced to compensate growers and livestock farmers directly. In this sense, the agrarian organization has demanded support so that they can recover their productive capacity.
Thus, LA UNIÓ has proposed a package of measures to the two Administrations, some at state and other at regional level, which could serve those affected to overcome the huge losses caused by the weather.
