"Spain: "We have lost almost the entire upcoming kaki and stone fruit harvest"

The frosts recorded in the early hours of 21 and 22 March, with temperatures that have reached -3 degrees Celsius for several hours, have taken a huge toll on the kaki and stone fruit plantations in the municipality of La Pobla del Duc, in Valencia, which is likely to be the most affected area. In total, the province estimates that more than 7,500 hectares of kakis, stone fruit, almond and citrus trees have been affected.

"The frosts have left us shaking, and not just because of the cold, but because we have lost almost the entire upcoming kaki and stone fruit harvest," says Mario Gil, insurance technician at the Cooperativa La Pobla del Duc.

"The first estimates point to 80% of our kaki production being affected; this is almost one million kilos. As regards peaches, nectarines and Paraguayo peaches, whose flowering was already at an advanced stage, about 50% of the total has been affected," he explains. "The truth is that we had expected a stone fruit campaign with good production volumes," he added.

According to Mario Gil, it is a disaster not only for the cooperative and its partners, but also for the economy of the municipality. "There are many people making a living from these crops, from producers to handlers, shippers, etc."