The European Union has stepped into Alicante’s farming scene amid controversy over the Tajo-Segura transfer disruption, pushing ahead with reforms under the new Community Agricultural Policy that began in January. The changes could reduce approximately 16 million euros in sector aid, potentially cutting support in half and threatening farm viability. Stricter enforcement and fresh environmental requirements may exclude hundreds of farmers from the subsidy program, creating real risk for livelihoods in the region. Farmers are facing significant impacts from the approved reforms.
The PAC, established in 1962 to strengthen agriculture and livestock, aims to improve the profitability of farms that would otherwise struggle to stay viable without this support. In recent years, concerns about its effects have circulated widely. The current guidelines amplify worries by favoring larger plantations over smaller plots, a trend felt across Alicante.
Lorenzo Chinchilla, an economist and technician with Asaja, noted, “With this new OTP, many farmers who have benefited so far will be left out, particularly because they must be registered as self-employed in the agricultural regime, while small plots and part-time farmers dominate the province, often working in other sectors.”
The expert adds that while participation in eco-regimes remains voluntary, farmers could lose 25% of their benefit if the green payment is removed. He also explains that adopting these regimes would raise farm costs and likely reduce yields, shrinking revenue through various OTP concepts. Required practices include crop rotation, direct sowing, and the use of cover crops in woody crops. In livestock, extensive grazing on pastures and sustainable mowing are highlighted as sustainable practices.
Pruning
Another point of contention is the prohibition on cutting and pruning trees and hedges between March and August, which could harm citrus and olive groves—the province’s two emblematic crops.
A digital bookkeeping requirement for both farmers and ranchers will track operations and phytosanitary practices every two weeks, pushing for more advanced technology or steady support from management.
Chinchilla estimates that implementing all these measures could slash aid by half, leaving about 16 million euros unused.
Looking at the broader impact, Ricardo Ferri, a grain producer in the l’Alcoià region who also runs a self-managed operation, says farmers may resort to using legumes like lentils and peas as fertilizer later on. He notes these crops have limited market value, turning potential help into a financial loss. He also flags the digital notebook as a hurdle, especially for older farmers less versed in new technologies. The situation, he says, grows more complicated with every change.
On the animal side, Juan Luis Gimeno, owner of a goat farm in Monóvar, explains that aid designated for basic rights — supporting farmers who have spent their lives in the profession — would be halved. The policy increasingly favors intensive farms, leaving semi-intensive operations, which are common in the province, at a disadvantage. The result, he fears, could be the erosion of the sector, compounded by a lack of generational turnover and losses from operating at a loss.
José Vicente Andreu, head of Asaja Alicante, argues that the PAC does not necessarily boost productivity or crop quality, and its stringent environmental and digital requirements risk excluding many farmers who cannot adapt. The agricultural group sees it as a direct hit to farm workers in a landscape where European funds are not as reliable as before.
Alicante agriculture faces a looming loss of 31 million euros over seven years under the new CAP, according to Carles Peris, secretary general of La Unió. He stresses that the new rules will restrict aid to small farms in the region, noting that larger farms in other regions have long benefited in the same direction.
Regional Agriculture Secretary Roger Llanes offers a cautious view. He points to the CAP’s stronger environmental component and says reciprocity with third countries will determine how far these goals can be met. He suggests that if the region can adapt to the new demands, overall aid could increase, but acknowledges that some regions will need more time.
The transition to phytosanitary products places emphasis on sustainability, with expectations of reducing phytosanitary use by more than half and tightening access to certain products. Andreu confirms that such restrictions heighten sensitivity to third-country competition, potentially lowering yields and affecting fruit and vegetable prices. The move aims at safety and efficiency, but Ferri argues the policy clashes with itself, supporting direct cultivation to protect soil while restricting essential plant protection products. (Source: regional agricultural associations and industry observers.)