The Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Catalonia (FCAC) expects almond production will increase 30.8% on the previous year, from 3,102 tons to 4,056 tons of grain.
Tarragona will increase its production by 40.4% (from the 1,490 tons of grain it produced last season to 2,092 tons this year). The main producing region is Terra Alta, where producers expect there will be an increase in the Marcona and late varieties.
In Lleida, production will increase by 21.9% (from 1,612 to 1,965 tons of grain). The main producing regions of the Garrigues and Segria demarcation will achieve the greatest harvest, especially the plantations with new irrigation. Meanwhile, production in the area of Pallars Jussa is expected to be more irregular.
Roger Palau, who is responsible for dried fruits at the FCAC, stated that "although there was a very dry winter and temperatures were above average, the strong rains in spring have favored the evolution of the trees so we expect there will be a good harvest. However, we are concerned about the continued abandonment of cultivation dry farming because the vast majority of the area devoted to nut crops are in places where it is not viable to grow any other crop, therefore we might get an unwanted unattended forest surface."
Specifically, the area planted with almond decreased by 7% in all of Catalonia this last campaign. The decline stood at 5.9% in the Tarragona region and reached 8.3% in Lleida.
The area devoted to almond production amounts to 36,106 hectares: 19,734 hectares in Tarragona and 16,372 in Lleida.
Source: FCAC