calculation year
The almond harvest began on August 4 amid a drought and extreme heat that shaped how the crop performed and how crews worked. This season is described as more challenging than usual, with water scarcity clearly cutting production. In Córdoba, the heat has forced changes to working hours and the pace of daily tasks as crews adapt to the sweltering temperatures.
At the El Viento farm in Santaella’s La Montiela district, teams are reshaping schedules to avoid the hottest hours. They start at 5:30 in the morning and may shorten the day further when needed. Operations Manager Juan Manuel notes that this year’s harvest began one day earlier than planned, though it feels like earlier starts are becoming the norm. The trees in this area date back to 2015, and the manager observes that harvest times are shifting earlier with each passing year. The reason lies in trees with sparse foliage that produce fruit sooner than in years with ample irrigation.
The lack of greenery is a direct consequence of drought. Juan Manuel points to the surroundings to illustrate the effect, saying drought leaves the trees in their prime with little green growth. He counts the almonds on a cleaned branch to show the immediate impact, a scene viewed with a blend of concern and steady expectation.
While final production remains to be confirmed, the manager anticipates a harvest that could be notable in kilos if conditions hold. A precise appraisal also reveals fruit that remains unopened, a detail that complicates later tasks such as removing the protective cap. Normally, the fruit would separate from the hull and dry, but this season the pipe stays intact, adding another layer of difficulty for harvest crews.
Earlier in the season, Ignacio Fernández de Mesa, president of Asaja Córdoba, warned that the harvest was shaping up with lower production than the previous year. He attributes the limits to irrigation controls and to the cold, dry months that followed last autumn, which reduced overall yield and complicated planning for growers in the region.
El Viento farm covers about 90 hectares of almond trees. The manager explains that each hectare typically requires roughly 6,000 to 8,000 cubic meters of water, yet this campaign used barely 1,300 cubic meters for irrigation. He describes this as a year full of irrigation calculations, where decisions must be made with urgency and prudence. The priority is to conserve the trees until the appearance improves, but there is fear that the next year could bring even greater challenges. A sunny forecast is not enough when the resource that sustains the crop is scarce. If conditions improve, the harvest could recover, but the outlook remains cautious. Sector news highlights pressure on prices across inputs, including fuel, phytosanitary products, and fertilizers, all rising sharply. Almond prices themselves stay modest, not fully compensating for higher costs—an issue felt acutely by many growers. The broader problem remains clear: producers often struggle to gain fair compensation as much of the value chain is influenced by intermediary markets, and the farm gate price does not always reflect what appears on store shelves.
In Córdoba’s agricultural landscape, drought continues to shape decisions, from irrigation routines to harvest timing. The season underscores how climate variability tests growers’ planning and execution, and how input costs ripple through the supply chain, affecting farmers, processors, and retailers alike. (Source: industry reports and statements from local farm managers cited in regional agricultural coverage.)