Farmers in the Axarquia region of Malaga who dedicate their land to subtropical crops like avocado and mangoes now face financial losses. Drought has forced many to buy storage tanks for irrigation with reclaimed water, and prices for subtropical varieties have fallen since May, threatening the viability of their farms.
At the close of the last avocado campaign, with the spring weeks drawing to a close, many producers had to sell half of their harvest, often at rates barely reaching 50 cents per kilogram. The mango campaign ended last September with averages near the starting point, under 80 cents, about 20 percent lower than a year earlier.
Antonio Rodriguez, provincial secretary of COAG Malaga, asked, Imagine earning less than half of your salary while electricity, fuel, and fertilizer costs soar. He spoke during a meeting on a Wednesday where representatives from various Axarquia farming groups gathered at the regional office of the Costa del Sol Axarquia Union of Municipalities in Torre del Mar.
Attending the meeting were political representatives from a broad spectrum of organizations. They all called for compensatory measures from different administrations and, above all, for regulations that set minimum prices for fruit and vegetables.
Producers blame distribution chains for not passing along price increases at the source. In recent months, many growers observed that some plots of medium and large size were affected by smaller fruit sizes caused by less rainfall and tighter irrigation.
Rodriguez noted that prices have fallen so much that in some cases mangoes remained unpicked. Other producers highlighted similar issues with later varieties of avocados in May and June. As UPA agricultural association spokespersons point out, the new avocado campaign, which will begin in a few weeks, does not appear to alter market momentum.
Rodriguez added that the sector is undergoing a model shift. Not every fruit can be uniform in size and appearance. Fruits around 400 to 500 grams cannot be expected to be flawless in every batch, yet the field does not operate that way. He also spoke of the need to rely on trucks for emergency irrigation at the start of every campaign amid rising prices.
Farmers see another complicating factor in the viability of Axarquia subtropical farms: large quantities of produce imported from countries such as Brazil, and in the mango case, Colombia. They urge authorities to limit imports of solid fruit in a way that reflects drought conditions and remains competitive with local sizes.
If the industry does not support local growers and managements prefer imports over valuing domestic fruit, farmers will reconsider continuing their activity. It is worth noting that the 2021 mango campaign in Malaga reached nearly 30,000 tons, according to COAG. The sector employs thousands of families in the eastern region, with about 4,800 hectares under cultivation.
A crucial agricultural product
Data from the Junta de Andalucía’s Observatory for Prices and Markets show a decline in mango production value in 2021 compared with the previous campaign, with a 26 percent drop in origin price.
Farmers received 1.38 euros per kilo in 2020, 1.02 euros in 2021, and the downward trend continued into the current year.
In response to these pressures, UPA and COAG Malaga emphasize that the agricultural and livestock sectors in Andalusia face a difficult period due to drought, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis linked to it, and rising production costs. They stress the importance of supporting professional farmers who contribute to a social model centered on subtropical fruit production, noting that 89% of farms are under five hectares and collectively cultivate about 36% of Andalusia’s total fruit-tree area.
Mango has historically been a significant subtropical crop after avocado, expanding greatly over the last two decades. In 2021, about 4,800 hectares were planted, with 91% in production. Roughly 90% of these are concentrated in the province of Malaga, where mango production accounts for 85% of Andalusia’s volume. Across the region, the mango harvest exceeds 28,100 tons.