For years, the water consumption of soft fruit growers in the Spanish region of Huelva has been a point of discussion. The government, motivated by environmental organizations, possibly wants to close the water springs in the National Park. For growers in the Rocio region and others, a catastrophe looms. This morning, they took to the streets en masse to demonstrate against the plan. The turnout is estimated to be 20,000 people. "All growers are participating," the manager of soft fruit producer SAT Algaida Productores says militantly.
If the plans go through, 30% of his acreage will be directly in trouble, so the growers aren't taking it lightly. Three weeks ago, there already was a demonstration with tractors, and another demonstration mobilized 15,000 people last year. How the population feels about the discussion, is apparent from the many signs with the text 'Agua Ya!!!', meaning: Water Now! "The people are behind us. This sector is an important motor of the economy. Many people directly or indirectly get employment from the soft fruit cultivation," the grower says. "The environmental movements feel differently about it, however, and they have a powerful lobby, for instance toward the supermarkets."
In Huelva, soft fruit is grown on an acreage of over 9,000 hectare, mostly strawberries, complemented with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.