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Monforte del Cid, Novelda and Aspe
Spain: Table grape area drops 30% in ten years

In Monforte del Cid, Novelda and Aspe in Spain 70% of the agriculture consists of table grapes. In the "Valley of the Grapes" this culture generates EUR40.8 million a year. However, in the last ten years the area for this "flagship" product has been reduced by approximately 30%. The decrease, according to experts, is due to urban impact, the lack of generational replacement in the field because of low wages given to workers, the high price of water, bad campaigns caused by the damaging hail and periods of low prices where of course, large amounts of hectares of crops often decrease.

Nevertheless, in the agricultural sector of Vinalopo Mitja table grapes have a strong position, they are the emblematic crop of Valencia and one of the most profitable in the province of Alicante, as reflected by recent economic data handled by the union of Asaja.


A tractor driver, on a table grape farm of Monforte del Cid, during the collection of the precious fruit.

In the municipalities of the region which provide more wealth (Monforte,Novelda and Aspe) the table grape occupies over 70% of available area. In Monforte del Cid it reaches 75%, in Novelda 74% and in Aspe 73%. In total they sum up 79% of total production in the Vinalopó Mitja, but in terms of hectares of vineyards, in Monforte , there was a loss of 894 hectares since 2002 until today, representing a decrease of 28%. Currently, according to data provided by the Department of Agrarian Studies prepared based on field studies and the latest official data available, 2,250 hectares were accounted for but the loss of vineyard surface is increasing.

Source: Diarioinformación

Publication date: 3/14/2012


 


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