More intense hailstorms threaten Catalan agriculture
The Plant Defence Group (ADV) Terres de Ponent has issued a warning about the increasing severity of hailstorms in Catalonia, a phenomenon that has intensified in recent years due to climate change. During the presentation of its twenty-seventh monitoring campaign, which will run until October 15, experts noted that hailstones are increasing in both size and frequency, posing a significant risk to local crops.
Elisabet Porta, a technician at the ADV, explained that while it is complicated to make accurate predictions about hailstorms, an alarming trend towards more extreme events has been observed. “In the last four or five years, we have seen a notable increase in the intensity and frequency of these phenomena,” Porta stated. Last year's campaign was particularly harsh, recording up to 19 days with hail in the region, an unprecedented figure in over two decades.
To combat this growing challenge, the ADV has expanded its network of hail gauges to 172 devices distributed across the Pla de Lleida and other affected regions. These instruments allow for precise measurement of hail size and density, as well as its geographical distribution. This information is crucial not only for better understanding the meteorological phenomenon but also for helping farmers protect their crops.
Despite technological advances, many producers face economic difficulties in implementing preventive measures such as anti-hail nets. With a cost of approximately 20,000 euros per hectare, less than 10% of crops in the Pla de Lleida have this protection. The vice president of the ADV highlighted that although the Department of Agriculture has committed to providing specific aid for these installations, the costs associated with agricultural transformation continue to rise.
As another agricultural season marked by climatic uncertainties approaches, farmers must quickly adapt to the new realities imposed by the changing climate. Roqué emphasized the urgent need to reduce costs and maximize available aid to ensure sustainable and profitable production. “It is essential to secure stable markets as we face these climatic challenges,” he concluded.
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