Farmers had to buy desalinated water at the price of gold before ‘Zero Transfer’

Uncertainty is increasing day by day and ‘Zero transfers’ Announced for irrigation last Friday by the Ministry of Ecological Transition (Miteco), farm workers now face another tough challenge: manages to maintain the normal harvest with much less water.

This was stated by the president of the Tajo Segura Aqueduct Irrigators Central Association. (Scrats), Lucas Jimenezwarns that the price of desalinated water will continue to rise. So this will result in a new increase in costs for Murcian farmers and waterers.

The ‘Zero Transfer’ announcement fell like a bucket of cold water a few days ago when the Ministry decided to just give approval. 7.5 cubic meters of water for urban supply onlythus depriving Levantine agriculture of the Tagus situation, although in the reports of the technicians of the Central Commission for the Processing of the Tagus-Segura Aqueduct recommend a shipment of 20 cubic hectometers, as the Entrepeñas and Buendia reservoirs are in an exceptional condition (level 3).

Meanwhile, at its new doors Hydrological year starting on October 1irrigation communities have already obtained all the desalinated water they can buy in the hope that the rainwater that is so lacking in the Region and the Spanish Levante region will return in autumn, winter and spring.

“Very significant extra cost”

this José Miguel Marín, Head of COAG in MurciaHe condemned the “politics play” with the transfer: “Irrigators plan their crops based on the availability of resources in the rivers, and the current situation represents a very significant damage. The climate situation is not favorable and the drought is worrying. But the law exists to comply with them. If the reserves in the rivers can be transferred, they must be transferred.” he states.

“There may be cases where desalinated water is an alternative at a very significant extra cost, and there may be cases where, depending on the region, desalination plants or conditions, even that is not possible. They leave the waterers in a state of absolute vulnerability,” warns Marín.

«The water from the transfer is about 18-20 centsdesalination relying on existing subsidies 54-55 cents for each user, depending on the costs that irrigation communities have to bear,” says Lucas Jiménez.

The truth is that the industry is one of the most affected by the increase in fuel and electricity prices: “They are on their way, and this continues. absolute madness. Either someone stops this ball or the end becomes unsustainable,” warns the Scrats president.

On your own behalf Marcos Alarcon, Secretary General of UPA-Murciarepeatedly and under a ‘precautionary principle’, “emphasizes the “concern” that zero transfer is repeated and Level 3 remains at the head of the Tagus, where transfers of a maximum of 20 cubic hectometers (7.5 hm³ and 12.5 for supplies) are made. hm³ for irrigation )”.

According to Alarcón, the repetition of ‘zero transfer’ in the coming months will “not only condition the availability of water for irrigation, but also will further increase production costs. while increasing the cost of irrigation: more desalinated water—more expensive—and less water from transfer. This will put family farms in a difficult position once again as they have less financial and debt capacity.”

Additionally, knowing what will happen after December 31 is vital. validity of the current decree drought offering support measures and emergency aid to farmers desalinated water rate subsidy. What is clear is that for the vast majority, it will be “impossible” to pay a euro or more per cubic meter if this conflict is not resolved, say farmers and irrigation workers.

In fact, since the end of last August, the Ministry’s set the price of desalinated water at 40 cents To make up for the interruption in the Tajo-Segura transfer.

Honey harvest could be cut in half due to drought and bee eater

agricultural organization COAG, honey harvest is reduced by 40% to 50% due to the effects of drought and losses caused by drought. bee eater, a bird that feeds on bees, as announced in a statement Monday. In the example of the Region of Murcia, the average harvest would be 50% with almost zero campaigns for orange blossom and rosemary honey and many problems with bee-eaters.

Lower presence of insects scarce flowering and absence of ponds has made honeybees the main food of this migratory bird, which ensures that they do not leave their hive until its chirping scares them away.

According to COAG, this is the case for bees. best foraging times in late summerThis organization, which reduced reproduction and therefore the population that had to overwinter, therefore demanded special assistance from the regional managers for beekeepers. Outside the region, losses in the apiaries of neighboring communities of Andalusia and the Valencian Community are also noticeable, and a reduction of over 50% in honey harvest is also expected.