The lack of surface water that growers are suffering in the Condado de Huelva region will lead to a reduction in the acreage devoted to strawberry cultivation of between 20 and 30% in some municipalities of the Corona Norte de Doñana.
This was stated by the president of the Platform in Defence of the County's Irrigation, Cristóbal Picón, who illustrated the case with the situation of producers in Lucena, Huelva, one of the most affected, clarifying that "in some areas the area affected is even greater."
"It has been a very dry year, which has even prevented the use of rainwater for the mulching; there is no water for irrigation and the acreage that will be left unplanted is considerable," he pointed out; this will naturally have a toll on the creation of wealth and employment.
Picón insisted that the solution to the current problems is the execution of the transfer of 15 cubic hectometres of water from the Tinto-Odiel-Piedras basin to the Guadalquivir.
"The purchase of the farm Los Mimbrales to release 6.8 cubic hectometres and the transfer of another 4.99 from the Guadalquivir basin are not enough," explained the president of the platform.
He acknowledged that the Government is "taking important steps" in solving the problem, but "never the most crucial one," which is the water transfer. "If they admit that there is a chance to be able to do it, why continue the agony?" he asked. "If the situation doesn't change, the sector will be even more affected, and the acreage left unplanted will only increase, because it is useless to make an investment that doesn't yield sufficient returns."
Picón has stated that the goal is also "to curb illegal water extraction." For his part, the Government's Deputy Delegate in Huelva, Enrique Pérez, said that the Government "is taking all necessary steps to ensure growers in the county have access to enough water for irrigation, while at the same time working to preserve aquifer 27, which is extremely important to ensure the ecological stability of the Doñana Natural Park."
