Nerja growers voice concerns over future use of Larios land

Around 100 farmers and local residents gathered outside Nerja town hall on the eastern Costa del Sol on Saturday 14 February to voice their concerns over the future use of the controversial Vega de Maro land to the east of town.

The concentration was organised by Action for Maro and its Agriculture (AMA) following the rejection by the town hall on Friday of plans for a golf course, hotels and housing on the land which is owned by Sociedad Azucarera Larios, SALSA.

However, AMA fears that the land, which has been mainly used for small-scale and organic farming, with some local families having connections to agriculture there going back many generations, will be handed over to the booming subtropical fruit sector.

Jack Whitfield, spokesperson for Bio Agricultura Maro (BAM), a collective of organic growers which forms part of AMA, told SUR in English that the concentration "was a celebration of the community of small-scale farmers here. We want to keep farming in place of the mega cultivation of avocados by one company and three or four workers."

The concentration came the day after councillors in Nerja unanimously rejected the request to authorise a golf course on the Vega de Maro land. After the vote, tenants whose contracts are gradually being terminated by Larios throughout this year, had the opportunity to put forward their concerns to the mayor José Alberto Armijo and other councillors.