The south and east of Spain have been affected by heavy flooding for more than a week. The production of fruits, particularly citrus fruits, and vegetables is disrupted.
Towards difficulties in citrus production following the floods in Spain. According to certain professionals in the sector interviewed by France Bleu Roussillon this Monday, France could run out of clementines and oranges in the coming months.
This type of production is very widespread in the Spanish region affected by the disaster in recent days and the torrential rains have made access to farms impossible. Enough to complicate the supply of stores, in Spain but also on the other side of the border.
60% less clementines
It is in Perpignan that the question of citrus supply begins to arise. Close to the Spanish border, the Saint-Charles de Perpignan market is considered the first stop for fruit and vegetable supplies in Europe.
“It is during this period that the clementines are picked from the tree then put in a ripening chamber,” the manager of one of the Perpignan companies which operates fruit production in the Valence region tells France Bleu. But the floods mean that “the fruits are waterlogged and risk rotting”.
“For the moment, some producers are very difficult to contact, but we know that they absolutely cannot go to their fields and that because of the floods, the electricity networks have to be completely redone. It will take time! ” , adds the Perpignan sales representative from an import-export company.
And if that wasn't enough, the main highway allowing Spanish transporters to go back to Barcelona and deliver to France is proving impassable. For clementines, “we expect a 60% drop in arrivals for France,” continues the sales representative.
A Spanish agricultural sector not out of the woods
The Spanish meteorological agency (Aemet) announced Monday morning that the “meteorological crisis” had passed, at least in the Valencia region. It's Barcelona's turn to be affected – the city was even placed on red alert this Monday. Although no human casualties have been reported, farmers in the area are on alert.
“Part of the citrus production is also in this sector so this new rain could be a real disaster for the sector this season,” worries the manager of a logistics platform in Saint-Charles de Perpignan. “We are already preparing to have to do without.”
At the same time, French distributors are already expecting to run out of several products. Carrefour customers, for example, have received a prevention message via the mobile application in recent days to the effect of: “due to bad weather in Spain, certain fruits and vegetables may temporarily be missing from the shelves”.
E.Leclerc and other brands contacted by Le Figaro also shared difficulties in offering certain fruits and vegetables to consumers.
Spain is in fact a major supplier of fruits and vegetables to France, with for example 84% of cucumber imports into France coming from the other side of the Pyrenees.
The toll from the floods which devastated the Valencia region in Spain continues to rise: at least 217 people have died according to the latest report communicated by the authorities.
