Last week's fire in Huelva, which started in the municipality of Moguer and reached the very gates of Doñana, has caused damage to at least 80 hectares of berry crops, as estimated by the Spanish Association of Combined Agricultural Insurance Providers (Agroseguro).
The estimate of the sector, however, is that the agricultural area affected by fire far exceeds this figure, since there are a number of uninsured farms in the municipal terms of Moguer, Almonte and Lucena which were also affected.
A raspberry farm in Almonte and a blueberry farm in Lucena del Puerto have been the most harmed, as their production was in full swing. In the raspberry one, they had at least three weeks of campaign, but the situation in the blueberry farm is more severe, as it will take several years for it to recover the production levels it had before the incident in the event it becomes necessary to replant.
Agroseguros has also assessed the damage to infrastructure on two more farms, which mainly affected iron and plastic covers that will have to be replaced.
The losses for Huelva's agricultural sector would have been remarkable if the fire had happened at the peak of the strawberry campaign. In June, the harvest of this fruit is already finished, although that of other berries, like raspberries and blueberries, is still underway.
Source: agrodiariohuelva.es
