The tap is closed not only for farmers who depend on the Tajo-Segura transfer, but also for their “neighbors” in areas considered traditional irrigated who are already suffering from restrictions to the point that the Hydrographic Confederation of Segura (CHS), an organization dependent on the central government, has already ordered them to don’t plant vegetables for this winter season, because they probably won’t have water.
This is a verbal recommendation to those concerned, as confirmed by the President of Asaja-Alicante, Jose Vicente Andreu. In this way, we want to avoid the harm that comes from undertaking efforts and investments and then seeing these crops in danger. However, this agricultural organization has rejected the measure and is asking for alternatives.
The direct consequence will also have an impact on homes, since the Vega Baja del Segura, both in Alicante and Murcia – together with Almería – has become the “pantry of Europe” and in the coming months consumers will notice the lack of winter products grown in this territory.
Asaja Alicante “blames the Confederation for its lack of foresight when announcing the water cuts that will affect the market gardening campaign in Vega Baja and Camp d’Elx”
After learning that the organization “advises farmers not to plant more vegetables, while this association knows that the most they already have finalized their plantations“, the organization warned that if the announced restrictions were implemented, “not only will they not be able to grow their crops, but they will probably have to do a lot of things.” give up their plots“.
This uncertainty “deeply worries” Asaja Alicante, who criticises the CHS because “it should have acted with more foresight, at least a year in advance, and not thrown farmers into the void at the start of the campaign”.
Furthermore, he adds that if the planned reductions are respected, in the coming months there will be shortage of vegetables in the marketsresulting in an increase price to the consumer.
“Without a doubt, situations like this prove us right when we say that the Segura basin needs the transfer of the Tajo Segura more than ever,” says the president of ASAJA Alicante, José Vicente Andreu.
Finally, Asaja Alicante reports that the hectares affected will be 20,000 in the traditionally irrigated Vega Baja, 20,000 in Camp D’Elx and 10,000 in the fields of Almoradi, Los Montesinos, Orihuela, San Miguel de Salinas and Algorfa.
“This increase in restrictions is the legacy that Alicante receives from minister Therese Bank, who in the coming days will leave his post within a Ministry of Ecological Transition. This is a faithful reflection of the way his leadership has punished us throughout his mandate,” says Andreu, who describes the CHS announcement as “a dagger in the agricultural heart of the province”, since 50% of Alicante’s horticultural production is in the Vega Baja.
The agricultural entity of Alicante asks the CHS to reconsider the budget cuts and take a less drastic decision for the primary sector.
“Exceptional” drought situation
THE drought The situation is getting worse for everyone and now the emergency option is even being considered that the aqueduct exceptionally supplies these other irrigators, even if at first glance it seems to be robbing one saint to dress another, after months of cuts in water transfers between the two basins.
“Due to the irregular and rare rainfall regime that has been dragging on since the last hydrological year and that has continued in the current one, which is characterized as the second worst year of the last ten years,” they describe in a statement from the CHS, Now a discharge of 210 cubic hectometres is decided for the hydrological year 2024-2025, as well as the almost certain increase in restrictions due to the “exceptional situation due to extraordinary drought“.
The Discharge Commission of this organization, chaired by Mario Urrea, aims to complete this annual cycle “with a minimum of reserves, which avoid ending up in what is called the ‘dead reservoir’.”
This “critical” situation is reached “despite the moderation of consumption due to current restrictions, but the emptying of reservoirs continues to be observed,” they add from the CHS. The data corroborate this: according to the official portal embalses.net, the basin’s swamps are at 16.58% of their capacity, with the half of water volume of the average of last decadethe worst record in all of Spain.
Therefore, “at a minimum, it was analyzed to maintain the percentages of reductions in force for the concessional rights of use of water of the Segura, Mundo and Quípar river system, adopted by the Permanent Drought Commission of August of this year and which are 35% in traditional irrigation and 49% in non-traditional irrigation. But it is not excluded to reinforce these limitations up to 42% and 49% respectively.
These severe measures also aim to prevent “terms irreversible environmentalsuch as fish mortality due to lack of oxygen in reservoirs, ensuring a fair distribution of available resources.
It is not in danger, for the moment, provide domestic to houses“although it is considered necessary to promote the savings in them, as recommended by the Commonwealth of Canales del Taibilla”, which supplies more than two million inhabitants between Murcia and Alicante.
