The drought has had a strong impact on Malaga's mango and avocado crops severely affecting producers. One of these producers is Antonio Sarmiento, 85, who has been producing tropical crops for more than four decades and currently manages a 20-hectare farm in Benamocarra with his five children.
Antonio's mango production has decreased by almost 80%, from 300,000 kilos to 70,000 kilos, due to the drought. Avocado production is even worse this season: there are few fruits on the trees, they're small, and the trees' leaves are almost dry. "There's not much more we can do without rain; we might have to cut many trees this winter," stated his son David, 50.
Most producers are experiencing the same situation as the Sarmiento family. This year, 90% of the farms in the area - which are owned by families and have an average area of two to three hectares- have had losses. It's a strong blow for a sector that generates 15,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region and accounts for 90% and 70% of the country's mango and avocado production, respectively.
Pablo Toré, 40, who manages the 11-hectare farm his father bought in the 1980s in Rincon de la Victoria, is also suffering the ravages of drought. He grows mangoes and avocados. This year, he's had to cut down about 700 avocado trees because they require much more water than the mango trees: 7,000 cubic meters of water per year per hectare compared to 4,500 for mango.
This year, his production has fallen by 90% due to drought and heat, and he's already accumulated 60,000 euro in losses.
Toré already has plans for the future: he will bet on new crops on his farm, such as pitahaya, which barely needs water. "I don't know where the 10% of farms that have been profitable this year are: I don't know anyone who has done well," he lamented.
Source: elpais.com