The Valencian Association of Agricultural Producers (AVA-ASAJA) reports that the most recent heat wave, which has caused temperatures to rise above 40 degrees Celsius in many parts of the Region of Valencia, has been taking a negative toll on crop and livestock management.
Although it is still early to determine the actual extent of the losses, AVA-ASAJA warns that agricultural producers are dealing with massive cost increases, both in irrigation and in the application of the necessary treatments against pests and diseases, which can spread more easily in these weather conditions.
The agrarian organization is also taking into account the damages that the crops will likely suffer, namely in the form of skin spots, due to the fruit's constant exposure to the sun. In this regard, the most vulnerable crops are early mandarins, kakis and table grapes, which could even become commercially unusable, depending on the severity of the spots.
The president of AVA-ASAJA, Cristóbal Aguado, said that “people can go sit in the shade, or turn the air conditioning on, but the plants have no choice but to withstand this unusual heat. Agricultural producers and livestock farmers are adopting all possible measures to minimize production losses, but those extra costs won't eventually be reflected in the final price.”