Storm Kristin, which has prompted Spain's national meteorological agency AEMET to issue a red alert in the Almanzora Valley and Los Vélez areas and an orange alert across the rest of the province of Almeria, is already causing serious damage to the local agricultural sector.
© COAG
According to an initial assessment by COAG, the Coordinator of Farmers and Livestock Breeders, the storm has damaged greenhouse production structures, including collapsed retaining walls. However, the most significant impact has been widespread flooding inside greenhouses, resulting in severe damage to crops. This was highlighted by Andrés Góngora, provincial secretary of COAG Almeria, who stressed that the number of flooded production units is particularly high.
© COAG
The storm brought rainfall of up to 8.6 liters per square meter and wind gusts exceeding 90 kilometers per hour. Damage has been especially concentrated in western areas of the province, such as Las Norias de Daza and La Mojonera. COAG points out that these rainfall events come on top of persistent precipitation throughout the winter, leading to significant production losses and an increase in crop diseases. In some cases, growers have been forced to remove crops prematurely.
Older greenhouse structures have been the most affected, as they are less able to withstand the extreme weather conditions of this intensity. While COAG acknowledges that rainfall is generally beneficial for agriculture, particularly for rainfed crops in inland areas and for the recharge of aquifers, the organization warns that the current situation is extremely serious for many farmers in the province.
© COAG
