Joe Duggan (Reporter)
HEAVY rains have led to a ‘disastrous’ cereal crop this year, a farmer’s spokesperson has said.
Winter downpours forced farmers to sow their crops later than they normally would.
“The spring has been very dry,” said Biel Torrens, from the Union of Farmers.
“The cereal has been damaged and its performance will be much lower than average.”
Many farmers have decided not to harvest the crop this year and are instead using the cereal as food for animals.
“The rain of a few weeks ago killed us again,” said Joan Simonet, manager of farmers’ association ASAJA.
“It destroyed the cereal that was at the point of being harvested and encouraged the appearance of weed that damaged the quality of the cereal crop.”
Oats, chickpeas and pulses, which are planted quite late, are expected to perform better.
“With these heavy winds and high temperatures, vegetable farmers will have to be vigilant, because it’s possible they will be hit by fungus,” said Torrens.
“Almond and fruit trees and olives have been the biggest beneficiaries of these late rains, since they will have a reserve of water for the summer.”
