Agriculture

A dreadful year for Majorca's farmers is coming to an end

Feed for livestock was in short supply because of the lack of rain. | Gemma Andreu

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma07/12/2016 00:00

While the recent rain has improved prospects for harvests, the agricultural sector has suffered a year during which rain-fed crop production has been poor. Cereal yield is lower and the grain is smaller, while some farmers have lost whole harvests. The consequence is clear: financial loss.

There have been losses of between 50 and 100% of legume production as well as 50% losses of almonds; the almond harvest has, moreover, produced a lower quality and smaller almond. The carob has been another crop to suffer.

Joan Simonet of the Asaja agricultural businesses association says that prices have been much lower, and the situation has been particularly poor in the Soller area. The olive harvest has been almost insignificant. Some growers decided not to harvest, so low was the yield.

Livestock has also been affected because of loss of pasture for sheep, goats, cattle and pigs. In some instances, this was a 100% loss, something which led to a series of aid measures from the agriculture ministry.

Asaja has contacted the ministry and the Hacienda in order to establish what tax rebates will be available for 2017. Because of the drought there have been some exemptions for this year, but the sector wants them to be extended into next year. The fact is, Asaja points out, that 2016 has turned out to be worse than had been expected.

The association's president, Joan Company, has also asked the minister, Vicenç Vidal, to follow up on requests for tax rebates and to support these in discussion with the national government.

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S. | over 8 years ago

It is a crying shame that this lack of rain, which has been a major problem for Mallorca for decades, if not Centuries. Irrigation was first resolved by farmers, with the Windmills bringing water, up from below the Island.Today WHEN it rains, it is only collected in The Tramuntana Reservoirs. WHY is rain not being collected ALL OVER THE ISLAND ?. There needs to be a Major Irrigation Plan for the Island. Perhaps financed from tourism, and its Tax. Perhaps a Desalination Plant, that solely supplies a complete farm irrigation system, that should have been constructed decades ago.!!!.

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