Drought causes third consecutive bad season of nut harvesting

Farmers cultivating nuts in the Tarragona area in southern Catalonia are going through their third consecutive season of bad harvests caused by drought. 

The lack of rain in Catalonia means trees are producing fewer nuts and fruits, a situation made worse in the areas where there is no water support.  

Sergi Martín, from de Farmer's Union, explained to the Catalan News Agency, that almond trees especially are having a "serious problem." 

"The trees are dying and there is barely any harvest," Martín explained.

He pointed to a joint report from the Economy and Climate Action ministries outlining that every farmer harvesting almonds loses €400 per hectare per year.  

"If there is no harvest in this area, the land will be abandoned and become a forest, which represents a big danger for wildfires," Martín explained. 

However, well-watered almond trees that have access to proper watering are seeing a "normal and optimal" harvest this season, especially in the western area of Lleida.  

The situation with hazelnuts is very similar.

Sergi Martín expects this year's harvest to yield two million kilograms, whereas a normal year would produce ten million kilograms.