The sowing of the garlic crops which is carried out throughout the fall so that they can be harvested in spring has already been completed, and it seems that the acreage is going to be similar to that of the previous year, which was very low, despite the fact that there were better prospects thanks to the spring and autumn rains.
The president of Asaja's Garlic Sector in Cordoba, Miguel del Pino, says that last year, the area sown was reduced by more than 50% compared to the previous season, falling well below a thousand hectares; a figure which contrasts with the 2,000 hectares which have been recorded in recent seasons, and which is also very far from the 9,000 hectares which were reached in the 80s and 90s of the previous century.
This year, the agronomic situation was different due to the rains recorded both in the spring and fall; however, "this will not entail a large increase in the cultivated acreage, because growers didn't know for sure if they were going to have enough water when they started getting the land ready in September," since the rainfall arrived from October onwards, and the Iznájar reservoir, which serves the Genil-Cabra community, where most farms are located, is recording similar levels as last year.
We cannot forget the heavy investment required for this crop, which can amount to around 12,000 to 13,000 euros, so "a lot of money can be lost if the grower is not sure of having enough water," he says. Therefore, the acreage this time is very similar to last year's, or barely 10% greater, and the crop's development will depend on the spring rains, according to the vice president of the National Garlic Board.
Del Pino, together with other garlic growers from the Asaja Cordoba sector, took part a few weeks ago in the National Garlic Board assembly, held in the municipality of Chinchón, in Madrid. The event served to analyze the development of the campaign and the prospects for the national production for the coming season. It was determined that the garlic acreage in Spain would fall by 8% compared to the previous season, with an accumulated drop of 23% over the last three seasons. Andalusia is the region that has recorded the biggest drop in the area sown this last season, with 13.2%.
Among the main causes of the reduction in the acreage, the Garlic Board pointed to the lack of profitability for the producer, the difficulties in finding laborers, the rising cost of land leasing, the limited access to water, and the loss of phytosanitary control tools; disadvantages which, they believe, have repercussions on the product's loss of competitiveness.
It should be recalled that garlic cultivation is very important in the province of Cordoba, mainly in some municipalities in the south of the province. The sector generates lots of jobs in towns such as Santaella and there are almost two dozen industries, around half of which have their headquarters in the municipality of Montalbán.