In fact, they help replace varieties which are not so adapted to the market by varieties in which organoleptic characteristics and manipulation easiness makes them more competitive.
27 fruit farmers took this measure in 2012 - financed with 135,000 Euro from the Council of Agriculture - and requested the conversion of a 90 hectare area, mainly planted with apricot trees.
In the last years, the council contributed to the renovation of more than 300 hectares of orchards, mainly peach, nectarine, plum and cherry trees.
Apart from the mentioned species, the measure also includes apple plantations (except if destined to make cider) and pear trees.
The areas where the re-plantation is taking place in a wider number of orchards are in la Ribera Alta, la Hoya de Buñol, la Vall d’Albaida and el Vinalopó Mitjà.
Help includes a of bonus up to 11,000 Euro per hectare of new plantations of apple, pear, cherry and plum and up to 10,000 Euro for peach, nectarine and apricot.
Complementary to that, they also help to build learning structures for apple and pear and the installation of watering systems in parcels of apple and pear.
These measures make it easier for young farmers to start and to include more disadvantaged areas.
Source: gva