According to Ramiro Durán, the municipal president of Arteaga, the second-largest apple-producing municipality in Mexico, the region's apple sector will lose 20% of its harvest this year because of the drought, late frosts, and hail. In addition, the high temperatures and lack of rainfall will cause losses of up to 60% in the municipality's total production.
In 2022, Arteaga produced 200,000 boxes. This year, the municipality will only produce 70,000 or 80,000 boxes, the mayor stated.
Producers are looking to grow support products
Due to this situation, other planting options are being offered to producers as support, including the production of oats. This led to the creation of an oat seed program with 200 tons in support of a subsidy to all producers in the Sierra de Arteaga.
“The goal is that producers grow other products together with their usual products, so they can get some extra income for their expenses this year and so that they can continue to invest in their orchards and don't give up this agri-food activity.”
It's worth noting that 80% of the agricultural producers in Arteaga use the temporary irrigation technique. This means they don't have any products stored which makes it difficult to guarantee the success of the crops.
Source: milenio.com
