HE Council Alicante came to the rescue of cherry devastating campaign in two production areas: in Mount Alicante and in Villena.
About 400 producers of this precious fruit in the regions of El Comtat and l’Alcoià will be released this June aid of 250 thousand euros Some funds of the Ministry of Agriculture to which Others are added 200.000 € to distribute between two cooperatives in the region.
This was explained by Autonomous Agriculture Minister Roger Llaneswho went to Villena last Friday to confirm the damage caused by DANA and promised financial support from the Generalitat Valenciana to the cherry farmers in Villena, but without specifying the figures.
DANA, which is currently affecting the Valencian Community, has been a relief for most of the forest mass and crops in the state of Alicante after an extremely hot and dry winter and spring. For the cherry crop, however, the cold fall meant something. disaster after five years of production falling. As a matter of fact, there is no production this year due to the drought experienced for the last five months. Cherry in La Montaña de Alicante.
in the other The producing sub-region of this outstanding crop, the municipality of Villena in the Alto Vinalopó region, the persistent rains of May cracked the cherries on the tree and they could not even be harvested due to the heavy rain. blocking access to farms.
abandonment and plague
to weather problems; high production costs; Failure to adapt yield insurance coverage, increased agricultural abandonment, in this region of small properties requiring reductions of up to 50% of insured production despite having the same insurance cost and declaring five consecutive campaigns due to lack of harvest; Valley d’Ebo the emergence of a new plague, according to sources. Protected Geographical Indication Regulatory Board.
The people in charge of Asaja Alicante pointed out to the head of the agricultural organization that they regretted this situation, which “only aggravates an unsustainable situation for the Alicante cherry”, Jose Vicente Andreu.
lost a million pounds
In Villena, 90% of the cherry harvest was lost due to the continuous and abundant rains from DANA and the previous week’s storm. Millions of kilos of different varieties that cannot even be harvested from a tree. It’s a real drama for farmers because the Alto Vinalopó cherry campaign had unrivaled conditions this year due to the quality, quantity and size of the fruit grown on a 500-hectare global area.
Producers don’t remember”such a disastrous campaign for thirty years”. The main enemy of the cherry is rain, and a cold drop of autumn on the doorstep of summer cracked the pulp of the cherry and disproved the illusions of the farmers of Villena. Although most have insurance, the policy coverage will not be enough to cover all losses after five campaigns. 2019 and 2020 frosts, 2021 rains, 2022 frosts and 2023 DANA.
That is why Asaja Alicante urgently requests a direct “temporary” hotline for cherry growers to promote the sustainability of production and immediate economic recovery of this crop, in addition to measures that encourage the urgent adaptation of insurance to the characteristics of the region and the stabilization of the rural population in the affected areas, which in recent years has been subject to a constant disaster.
Andreu also announced that as soon as the new regional government is formed, Asaja Alicante will urgently meet with the cherry growers and the Regulatory Council and call on the Administration to take action. emergency planning, “to mobilize and promote this symbolic crop for our province”.