The intense cold of recent days has already claimed its first victims in the field: artichoke crops. Frosts, which have mainly affected areas of Lorca, such as La Hoya, Campillo and Cazalla, with temperatures several degrees below zero, have left other cultivated areas in the Region unscathed. Neither Las Vegas del Segura nor Campo de Cartagena have had any problems.
"We've had three or four nights of frost and the crops that have been affected the most have been artichokes (as they are the most sensitive vegetable) and leaf lettuce to a smaller extent," explains the president of the agrarian organization COAG, Miguel Padilla, who adds that so far no assessments have been made on the possible losses or acreage affected.
"We can say that it has not been disastrous and that in a high percentage of these areas, where it traditionally tends to freeze, the plantations are insured, which plays in our favour," he adds, estimating the insured acreage at between 70 and 80 percent.
"This has prevented us from suffering greater economic losses," he stresses. The earlier varieties have been the most affected, explains Padilla, who points out that many of the plants will have to be discarded, because they turn black and lose all their market value, but others that have been less badly hit by the frost may be supplied to the processing industry as long as the inside remains clean.
According to Antonio Moreno, Secretary of Agriculture at Upa, the area affected by frost will not exceed 10 to 15 percent of the total artichoke acreage yet to be harvested, while for woody crops "this cold is actually wonderful, and citrus fruits also suffer no impact." Broccoli, another seasonal crop, has also weathered the frost well, he concludes.
The president of Coag, on the other hand, said that there could be some product shortage in the markets, although "it will not be very serious and we don't believe it will cause significant changes in the prices that are being paid, which, by the way, are similar to last year's."
Concerns about approaching winds
What the growers are most concerned about is the announcement of the arrival of another storm at the end of the week, which will come accompanied by polar winds.
"This type of wind does a lot of damage, because it affects everything it finds in its way," highlights Antonio Moreno, while Miguel Padilla points out that this type of air usually causes more losses wherever there is less moisture."
The arrival of this weather phenomenon is expected for the first few days of next week, according to the predictions of the State Meteorological Agency.
Source: laopiniondemurcia.es
