iver Adra Irrigation Community, in Almeria, reported this Tuesday that "considerable financial and productive losses are expected for the spring campaign in the region's 800 hectares due to the water's lack of quality." The drop in melon and watermelon production volumes has been estimated at 24.3 million kilos (-30%); this will entail a drop in revenue of around 8.5 million Euro.Growers point out that "the excessive salinity in river Adra's water is the main cause for this situation. Salts are decanted and accumulate in irrigation pipes, starting a calcification process which has significantly reduced the water flow rate to certain plantations."
Given this situation, the River Adra Irrigation Community has criticised being kept waiting for three years by Andalusia's Council of Agriculture for the funding needed to improve the irrigation network. The project, which requires a budget of almost 2 million Euro, has been positively endorsed in many reports, although it has been blocked since 2011 due to the regional government's lack of funds.
