Due to the abundant and constant rainfall recorded in Seville during a large part of March, which has resumed in the first week of April, the early potato harvest is expected to fall, both because of the fields having been flooded and, for the most part, due to the impact of diseases such as mildew, which has spread because of the excess humidity.
"To find similar rainfall records as this year's in Seville we have to go back to 1996, when the Guadalquivir River overflowed in some areas," says José Peláez, Manager of Sevillana de Patatas, a company which specializes in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of early potatoes.
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Although having sufficient water reserves for the coming seasons is positive after a long period of extreme drought, the abundant rainfall will have a negative impact on the early potato harvest in Seville, with significant volumes expected to arrive from the first week of May onward.
"The storms initially caused the flooding of some fields, although in general terms, these did not represent a significant share of Seville's total area. On a larger scale, what raises the most concerns is the impact that mildew will have after so many days of rain and without being able to enter the fields to treat them properly, although some specific actions will be carried out with drones and other resources," says José Peláez.
Now it's raining again, but last week, the weather gave Sevillian growers a break, and many fields could be treated. "There's still about a month to go, and this month will be decisive in determining the extent of the losses in the potato harvest, especially in the case of the earliest potatoes, which will be the most affected. There will be a reduction in potato production, but we don't yet know the extent of those losses. I am hopeful that many fields can still be saved," says Peláez.
For more information:
José Peláez Izquierdo
Sevillana de Patatas
Tel.: +34 659454537
jose@sevillanadepatatas.com
sevillanadepatatas.com