The olive harvest in Spain is compromised

For several months, Europe has been experiencing extreme weather conditions. Drought first, to which were added extreme temperatures. Some regions of Portugal and Spain are more as dry as they have been for 1,000 years. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a few days ago that the heat had killed some 1,700 people in the peninsula Iberian!

Economically, too, the situation is worrying. The olive trees, although adapted to hot and dry climates, are suffering. The temperatures and the extreme drought who have reigned over the region for several months have not caused them to die. To protect themselves, however, the olive trees have activated a defense system. They no longer produce.

Olive cultivation in Spain threatened by global warming

Exports ofolive oil, for Spain, this is no less than a revenue of some 3.6 billion euros per year – not counting the tourist activity that the sector generates. However, professionals expect a harvest this year that will not exceed 20% of the usual harvest. On non-irrigated plots. On the others, the harvest could reach 50 to 60% of the average. But according to a local farmers’ union, only 30% of land olive trees are irrigated in Spain.

Impossible to imagine irrigating more. Because everyone lacks water. The reservoirs, fed by the Guadalquivir river which traditionally provides theAndalusia water, are at 30% of their capacity. Some up to just 10%. And even if it were to rain, the ground today seems so dry and hot that it could have a lot of trouble absorbing this water coming from the sky. The only option to maintain a semblance of yield is to pick the olives before maturity. At the expense of quality.