The first frosts of winter affected a total of 6,548 hectares and caused damage worth more than 3.7 million euros, stated the Minister of Agriculture, Miguel Angel del Amor.
The economic damage amounted to more than 3,760,000 euros, which is a very high figure for the first wave of cold, according to the minister. The most affected municipalities were Lorca, with 3,800 hectares affected and damages for 1.2 million; it was followed by Totana with more than 1,100 hectares affected, Fuente Alamo with 560 hectares, and Alhama with 498 hectares affected. There were also some damages in the municipality of Yecla.
The most affected crops were green beans, artichokes, lettuce, and some early fruits, he stated.
Del Amor said that the Ministry damages in 350 hectares on the first day, 3,000 on the second day, and damages in 6,500 hectares on the third day, but that there were municipalities that hadn't been affected by this first frost, such as the area of Campo de Cartagena or San Pedro del Pinatar.
Finally, he said that the county offices had previously informed farmers what they could do before and during frost to minimize damages, adding that the best tool to weather this type of incident was having an agricultural insurance.
Source: Europa Press