The devastating floods and storms in southern and eastern Spain, which have claimed more than 250 lives, have also highlighted the fragile nature of modern supply chains and the risks of relying on imported food say campaigners.
Although Valencia was the worst affected region, with citrus particularly hard hit, there has been significant damage to roads, agricultural infrastructure, packing plants and greenhouses across much of Spain’s horticultural belt. “Up to 200 litres per square metre have fallen in some areas in just a few hours and there are flooded fields where it won’t be possible to harvest for up to a week,” said the representative of one growers’ association in Valencia.
The cold drop, or DANA also affected Ribarroja and Almeria, and several large European retailers, including Mercadona and Carrefour have experienced damage and disruption to their distribution facilities. Miguel Angel Serrano, technical secretary of the Asaja Almeria growers’ organisation commented, “The situation in the most affected area is catastrophic, with greenhouses that have collapsed and a lot of production damaged. Just taking into account the cost of replacing the affected roofs, without counting the damage to fruit or other structures, the losses are already estimated at millions of euros. The hail has been so severe and the storm so heavy that it has managed to pierce plastic sheeting of up to 800 gauges, reaching the plants and damaging the vegetables.”
“It is still too early to evaluate the actual extent of the damage, but what is clear is that it will be massive,” added Anecoop Sales Director Miguel Abril. “In our cooperatives in Almeria, where more than 4,500 hectares of greenhouses were affected by the hail, activity has already been resumed, but in Valencia, in the districts of La Ribera and L’Horta Sud, practically all our packing plants are still closed, with the exception of a couple of them.”
On social media, NFU President Tom Bradshaw pointed out, “When we talk about the need for domestic food resilience in the face of climate change – this tragic situation is why. Yet today, the Budget makes it significantly more expensive to produce food in this country, and there is no way farmers and growers can absorb the cost!
Liz Webster, founder of lobby group Save British Farming lobby group, commented, “Once again, the exposure of our food security is about to be tested. We are heavily reliant on this region in winter, particularly for fresh fruit, salads, and vegetables. We have lost our ability to provide a lot of salads in winter because the previous government did not help glasshouses stay open.”
However, Defra appeared to dismiss concerns that the supply of certain products could be disrupted for months. “The floods in Spain are devastating and the humanitarian effort must take priority. There is no risk to overall UK food security as a result of the flooding however we are assessing the potential impact on individual product lines and are ready to support industry should any food supply chain issues occur,” said a spokesperson.
