Hailstorms have recently taken a huge toll in the Vega Media del Segura, an area in Murcia, Spain, devoted to the cultivation of stone fruit, citrus, and olives, among other crops. The State Meteorological Agency of Spain had issued an orange warning, so the day had been expected to be wet, but the hailstorm was so intense that the Noroeste motorway had to be cut off in the area of Mula, and snowplows were needed to clear the ten centimeters of ice. In other areas, up to 46 liters per square meter were recorded in the area of Lorca, and up to 30 in Alhama de Murcia.
Santiago Martínez, president of the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives of Murcia (FECOAM), said that "there is 100% crop damage from Calasparra to Yéchar, with the north of the municipality of Mula being the worst hit."
Martinez said that "the harvest of crops such as nectarines, plums, apricots, Paraguayo peaches, and citrus fruits was in full swing, so this will have serious consequences for employment in the area."
"In total, we are talking about approximately 1,200 hectares of damaged fruit plantations. The only trees in bloom were the olive trees. Not enough time has passed since the storm, so for now, we don't have any more details of the possible damage," said the head of FECOAM.
For more information:
Santiago Martínez
FECOAM
Tel.: +34 968 351 282
[email protected]
www.fecoam.es