Hailstorm in Lleida area damages up to 50,000 hectares of crops

A hailstorm in the Lleida area on Saturday has affected around 50,000 hectares of crops, according to Unió de Pagesos farmers union.

In some fields in the Urgell county, in municipalities such as Agramunt or Ossó de Sió, losses may be between 50% and 100%, said locals talking to the Catalan News Agency on Sunday.

Cereal growers expected to harvest around six tones per hectare, but "they will be between zero and one," said one of the affected farmers, Salvador Nadal. "We are sad and disappointed that all the efforts made throughout the year result in this."

The cereal and fruit tree sectors have faced similar challenges in the past three years, with poor harvests for different reasons, and had expected a better year.

Jaume Gardeñes, spokesperson for Unió de Pagesos, told ACN that between 12,000 and 13,000 hectares of fruit tree have been fully affected, and while some part of its production will go ahead, prices will be 70% lower than expected because their commercial value "will plummet."

Also, almost 40,000 hectares of cereals such as wheat, barley or alfalfa, have suffered from the effects of the hailstorm in between 10% and 40% of the crops, the same sources said.

Gardeñes explained that while some farmers had expanded their insurance policies, others did not, and have less than 40% of the crops covered.

The farmers' trade union called on the Catalan government to provide financial aid to install anti-hail and anti-frost protection nets, which cost around €30,000 to €35,000 euros per hectare.

Unió de Pagesos believes the sector needs to ensure the harvests despite the current situation of climate change. "In many European countries, the public administration pays for 80% of the expenses of such elements," referring to the protection nets.

Alcarràs, one of the most affected areas

In Alcarràs, a very intense hailstorm that "lasted 10 to 15 minutes" on Saturday left many streets flooded with either water or hail, and in some fields 80% of the fruit fell off the floor due to the severe weather, according to local councilor Agustí Camarasa.

"It is not normal to get such heavy hailstorms in April," he said, remembering a similar situation in April 2022, which affected a smaller area.