The Spanish National Garlic Board analyzed the past season and the planting expectations for the next season at a meeting in Madrid. The area devoted to garlic cultivation in Spain fell by 8% over the previous season. This is the third consecutive year it falls, accumulating a 23% drop over the last three seasons. This year, 22,970 hectares have been planted.
This decline is also reflected in a 30% drop in the insured area, which is evidence of the difficulties and loss of competitiveness that garlic cultivation is experiencing in Spain. Andalusia was the autonomous community with the biggest decline (-13.2%), followed by Madrid with 12.2% and Castile-La Mancha with 8.2%, according to provisional data from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.
The National Garlic Board has identified several causes for this decrease: lack of profitability, difficulties in finding labor, rising lease costs, limited access to water, and having fewer phytosanitary control products available. In addition, the shortage of herbicides and pesticides increases costs and makes it difficult for the crop to develop properly.
Despite an increase in garlic prices, the sector considers this season's balance negative due to increased production costs. This lack of competitiveness has led to a significant increase in garlic imports from outside the EU. Since most of the early garlic has already been planted, the area forecasts for next season will be similar to those of the past season.
Moreover, the National Garlic Board has insisted on the need to inform the different administrations of the difficulties and loss of competitiveness that the sector is facing, which are leading to a reduction in the workforce and wealth in the producing areas that is essential to stop the depopulation of rural areas, as well as the difficulty in finding a generational replacement.
Source: agroclm.com