On-site alarm sounds again, and this time the issue isn’t a lack of water. Extremely high temperatures, with almost no cool-down between day and night, push crops to stay active around the clock. They struggle to rest and recover when the sun drops, and they now face serious risk, including table grapes that are approaching harvest after several days of threat. If temperatures exceed 38 degrees these grapes are in danger of scalding, as occurred this Monday. For many growers, grape size is likely to shrink as a consequence. Water availability remains stable for now as transfers from the Tagus and Júcar rivers operate normally, but irrigation demands are up, driving costs higher even for drip systems. The main table grape harvest push begins in two weeks.
Other crops facing risk include artichokes in early growth, almonds in ripening, and pomegranates whose skin spots undermine marketability.
The world’s best preserved grape
Jose Vicente Andreu, president of Asaja-Alicante, notes that heat stresses citrus crops and can delay harvests and reduce fruit caliber. For vegetables such as artichokes in the planting stage, extreme heat can kill young plants. Pomegranates suffer skin blemishes that lower value.
Almonds are in the ripening phase, losing weight and texture as dehydration advances. Grapes can burn if not properly protected. This year delays in bagging due to labor shortages have left many grapes exposed to sun and heat, increasing burn risk.
Early tangerines are particularly vulnerable to intense heat, with 20 to 30 percent impact on varieties like Clemenrubí, Orogros, and Oronules. The hotter the spell, the greater the effect on those varieties, cautions Andreu.
Table grapes remain one of the province’s most profitable crops, though the sector faces mounting heat stress and irrigation costs this season.
Antonio Rico, director of the Institute for Intercollegiate Geography at the University of Alicante, stresses that maximum summer temperatures around 33 to 34 degrees are normal, but readings above 37 trigger water stress and potential burning when foliage is exposed.
Grapes need protection, and late bagging is risky due to labor shortages
José Vicente Andréu, president of Asaja-Alicante, emphasizes the urgency of protecting grapes. This season sees two main areas under pressure: Orta Vinalopó and Albatera, San Isidro and Campo de Elche, with Aledo and Ideal among the notable varieties slated for harvest in August.
The area set aside for table grape cultivation has declined since 1993, continuing a downward trend since 2005. Today there are about 12,000 hectares dedicated to this fruit. Growers must irrigate more while prices do not keep pace, and several producers face heat waves that reduce grape size this summer.
Alicante state confronts a third heat wave that many fear could drag on
In central Vinalopó, bagged table grape vines have become less profitable. Losses have driven some farms to abandon production since 2020, with around 250 hectares turning to nonproductive land and roughly 500,000 vines affected.
Antonio Rico reiterates that temperatures around 33 to 34 degrees are normal, yet readings surpassing 37 degrees push water stress to the limit for many plants.
Conditions this year look worse, with projections suggesting a sharp rise in losses. In previous years, large numbers of vines were uprooted on several farms as growers faced heavy costs and uncertain returns. Many owners are considering leaving the industry; others plan to switch to different varieties. The trend of losing farmland has persisted for decades, harming employment, the regional economy, and environmental protection.
Detail of heat damage to table grapes in Vinalopó is visible in recent field observations.
Meanwhile, political figures discuss measures to address weather-modification practices. Critics argue that there is insufficient scientific basis and call for studies before scaling atmospheric interventions. The debate spans the water cycle, drought responses, and the potential ecological impact of such activities.
Valencia’s farmland has seen a steady reduction in cultivable land over the past two decades, while allocations to pasture and forest areas rose. The broader regional policy debate centers on how best to sustain agriculture amid drought, heat, and shifting water resources.