The Ministry of Agriculture has stepped up actions against xylella in the Alicante region. Recent data show that the bacterium-fighting efforts have accelerated after the EU issued a warning for accumulated delays. In the past year, about 94,000 almond trees were removed, roughly matching the total removed in the previous four years. The outbreak, first detected in Benimarfull, now affects 64 municipalities across the province and nearby areas.
Xylella fastidiosa is one of the most dangerous plant pathogens facing agriculture. It feeds on almond trees in Alicante and was identified there in June 2017. Since then, the ministry has been implementing an eradication plan that includes destroying all trees within a 50-meter perimeter around any infected specimen. An audit by the European Commission, conducted a little over a year ago, highlighted delays in carrying out these measures, especially in the removal of almond trees. Other crops are treated as higher priority in the response.
Since that moment, the situation has shifted dramatically. The latest update from the ministry shows that nearly 94,000 almond trees have been uprooted since the report, and the cumulative number since detection has reached 187,400 trees cut down. In addition, 4,990 infected vegetables have been eliminated as part of the response.
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Data from the district department indicate that the restricted area has grown by 1.1 percent to 139,459 hectares. Direct infections rose by 5.7 percent to 3,027. Sampling efforts also detected the bacterium in Benimarfull for the first time. Presently, 62 municipalities in Alicante are affected, with two municipalities in Valencia also reporting cases. In Alicante, affected towns lie in the districts of Marina Alta, Marina Baixa, l’Alcoià, El Comtat, and l’Alacantí, with Safor in the Valencia region added to the list.
The situation prompted Brussels to criticize the regional government for delays in the anti xylella program. Regional Agriculture Minister Roger Llanes acknowledged progress in the fight against the bacteria but cautioned that it did not stem from a wake-up call by the EU. He explained that initial difficulties in identifying landowners and resolving more than 2,400 appeals slowed early action. Once the path was clear, more resources could be allocated, and the minister suggested that the spread of xylella is now under control due to reduced transmission rates.
Francisco Javier Molines, who leads the platform for those affected, noted that many trees still require removal and warned that the plan to destroy trees could drive widespread abandonment of land, as many farmers lack the means to restart after losing their crops.
The Ministry of Agriculture has commissioned a study from the Polytechnic University of Valencia to determine an increase in compensation for farmers who lose almond trees. At present, the maximum payment for a single uprooted tree is 28 euros, compared with 6,400 euros per hectare for larger areas. The rising costs of replanting and the claims from those affected have led to a plan for higher compensation, with amounts to be set based on the university assessment, as stated by regional secretary Roger Llanes.
In this context, authorities aim to balance rapid containment with fair support for farmers, while continuing monitoring and outbreak containment measures. The ongoing program emphasizes a data-driven approach, transparency in reporting, and targeted actions to protect other crops and the broader agricultural economy in the region. Researchers and policymakers continue to collaborate to refine strategies and ensure timely responses to any new detections, drawing on the latest field data and expert analyses [Ministry of Agriculture].