Murcia's agricultural sector isn't only dealing with unstable weather conditions, but also with competition from third countries, the need for the Tagus-Segura water transfer and the application of the Mar Menor Law. All these factors are turning agriculture into a highly specialized activity. Growing artichokes, peppers, broccoli or lettuce has become not only an art, but also a fine technique.
Every year, the sector is put to the test and the results are then examined. Mariano Zapata, manager of Mercagrisa and president of Proexport, says that "this season, the rains have caused a drop in greenhouse pepper and broccoli productions; however, lettuce and artichoke have done very well. In general, we can say that things have gone well."
The upturn in artichoke consumption is good news. "It's a vegetable that takes time to prepare, and that was causing it to lose ground. Companies identified this trend and started to prepare pre-cooked artichokes, for which they are looking for hybrid artichokes, to the detriment of the white variety from Tudela," says the manager. "The work of the Spanish Artichoke Association has facilitated this upturn."
"We all have to play by the same rules".
As far as pressure from third countries this year is concerned, Zapata says that "products requiring a lot of labor, such as tomatoes or beans, tend to be supplied with ease by Morocco or Turkey. However, it's very difficult to compete with our climate." He says that "Murcia's climate makes this region a privileged land for agriculture, although more qualified labor is still needed."
Christophe Hansen has been EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food for a few months now, and, according to Zapata, "he seems to be a person who is well-versed in the challenges with regard to the reduction in the use of phytosanitary products, which is allowing pests to spread more easily. We are required not to use banned products, while fruit and vegetables are imported from third countries where the same rules don't apply. We should all play by the same rules."
Complying with EU policies is already extra work, but there is also the added threat of water supply cuts from the Tagus-Segura water transfer, which would take a toll on Almeria, Alicante, and Murcia. "The right climate cannot be brought to the places where the water is, but we can bring water to where we have the best climate," says Zapata.
And the fact is that "the (Spanish) Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge aims to reduce the amount of water the transfer by 50%, while the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura wants to cut the use of groundwater in the same proportion. With half of the water, we'll also get half of the production, higher prices and reduced employment, because desalinated water is not an immediate solution," he says.
Another obstacle to overcome is "the regulation on the amount of overtime allowed, which is usually fully used in two weeks. Some companies with hiring capacity have started working in two shifts. Others have had to close the warehouse earlier than usual because all the workers have already done their allowed overtime. Now, once the quota of hours has been met, the worker can no longer earn more money if he needs it," says the manager.
Murcia's agricultural sector "is adapting perfectly" to the Mar Menor Law
The Mar Menor Law has been in place for three years. "The adaptation of Murcia's agricultural sector is going perfectly, although not without difficulties, and many companies have had to hire a person just to monitor compliance with the requirements. Thanks to all of this, agriculture in Murcia is delivering unquestionably high-quality standards."