Axarquía mayors call on Andalusian regional government to help Muscat grape growers

Mayors in Muscat grape-growing villages in the Axarquía area of Malaga province have called on the Andalusian regional government to “take urgent action” in response to “the significant losses the harvest is suffering as a result of the high temperatures recorded over recent weeks”.

The mayor of Almáchar, Antonio Yuste, has highlighted that in villages including Almáchar, El Borge, Comares and Moclinejo, “losses have already reached up to 60 per cent of production and are as high as 70 per cent on some plots”.

During a meeting with representatives from the regional government, Yuste stressed that “farmers are in a very bad way and are going to have a very hard time. What we want is for the Andalusian regional government to respond to this problem and help farmers as soon as possible”.

He went on to say, "The season initially looked promising following the losses suffered last year due to mildew. We were very hopeful of recouping what we lost last year, but this time it has been the heatwave that has hit production hard."

Yuste also pointed out that agricultural organisations “have also been warning of the seriousness of the situation” and said that the regional government “must act swiftly in the face of a situation that is once again hitting one of the Axarquía’s most iconic crops”.

“We are talking about many families who depend on this crop and who, after what happened last year, are once again facing a season with very significant losses,” he stated.

The mayors have called on the regional government “to assess the true extent of the damage as soon as possible and to put in place extraordinary support measures to ensure the continued operation of the farms and to support the Muscat grape growers in the region”.