Orange producers in the Algarve, especially those in the Silves region, are desperate due to the lack of water. They warn citrus crops are at risk of disappearing, as they have been rationing water for two months. “We appeal to all governments, entities that oversee this area, to help us because, without help, I don’t know how we will be able to survive with a plant that is irrigated and that necessarily requires water, and which is also the icon of this territory”, said the president of the Association of Farmers and Beneficiaries of Silves, Lagoa and Portimão.
João Garcia fears that the lack of water will lead to significant drops in average production in the country’s largest citrus-producing region, which could also lead to the “disappearance” of this crop in the Algarve municipality. According to data from this association, 90% of the land in Silves, Lagoa and Portimão’s agricultural perimeter is dedicated to citrus production, and 50% of Portuguese production in this subsector is cultivated in the first of these municipalities.
“The situation is very worrying as we are in full harvest and have a problem of severe drought and a problem of lack of water in this area,” insists João Garcia.
Source: portugalresident.com
