El Camp d'Elx Overcomes Drought, Boosts Winter Vegetable Production by 21%

Despite high temperatures and lack of rainfall, El Camp d'Elx is set for a successful winter vegetable harvest, with a 21.6% increase compared to the previous season, reaching 22,500,000 kilos. This was announced by the Association of Young Farmers (Asaja) of Elche on Tuesday in the town of Elche.

An event attended by the president of Asaja Elche, Pedro Valero, alongside the provincial agrarian association president, José Vicente Andreu, as well as the town's mayor, Pablo Ruz, and other members of the municipal corporation.

The strong performance of artichokes, with a 33% production increase, has propelled winter vegetables to a better harvest than the previous year. Asaja Elche anticipates harvesting 12,000,000 kilos of this vegetable, "notable for its incredible size, quality, freshness, and flavour."

The agrarian association emphasizes that this season foresees "a great production of artichoke varieties," such as the traditional Blanca Tudela or the hybrid. This variety is becoming the farmers' favourite, as it offers "excellent production, better resistance to weather conditions, requires less water, and shows strengths against soil diseases," explains Valero. Asaja highlights the "high local demand and the good commercial outlet this product has in the national fresh market, but also for industry and export."

Artichokes have been cultivated over a total of 650 hectares, compared to 550 in the previous season. This is due to the availability of water resources for planting. In this regard, El Camp d'Elx has not faced the water restrictions imposed by the Segura Hydrographic Confederation that affected the Vega Baja region last summer, coinciding with the planting season.

In total, the number of hectares cultivated for vegetables has been 1,400 hectares, 100 more than the previous season. Asaja values "the farmers' effort to maintain activity despite the difficulties facing the sector; issues such as unprecedented loss of productivity and profitability, persistent drought, significant increase in production costs, especially in fertilizers and phytosanitary products, or the warm temperatures in the winter season."

The president of Asaja Alicante, José Vicente Andreu, has highlighted both the farmer from Elche and the growing generational change in the districts of Elche, assuring that "not only has he been able to maintain these family farming structures, but also modernize and continue them, even directing small farms towards export," something he has described as "a very great merit." Andre added that "in Elche, there are no uncultivated plots, a sign that the agricultural sector is more alive than ever."

Regarding other vegetables, the cruciferous family, which plays a very important role in El Camp d'Elx, expects to surpass last year's figures. Thus, broccoli, cauliflower, romanesco, and cabbage will exceed 8,000,000 kilograms of production in 550 hectares, with broccoli being the most demanded and exported to European countries.

Verdete potatoes will maintain similar figures to the previous season with one million kilos in about 100 hectares, while broad beans will yield half a million kilos of production in 50 hectares, similar to the previous year.