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Farmers have been waiting for years for an episode of rain like this Tuesday's, when the 'Dana' low pressure storm that crossed the province left more water in a single day than in the whole of the agricultural year. Euphoria abounds among the farmers consulted by SUR to find out more about the effects of the water on crops and land that had been marked by persistent drought. For the first time, say the sources consulted in the sector, the spectre of drought is receding somewhat and giving farmers some respite.
In the northern part of the province, almost 200mm accumulated in 24 hours. As if it were a large sponge, the water was absorbed and had a favourable effect on the olive trees and cereal crops. Winter vegetables such as artichokes are also now facing a rosy outlook. However, in keeping with the popular saying that happiness is short-lived in a poor man's house, the contrast came with the damage caused by the Dana in the Guadalhorce valley area.
The president of farmers' association Asaja, Baldomero Bellido, told SUR, "The latest rains are being especially welcomed by agricultural and livestock farmers." In addition to olive groves and crops, the rains guarantee that there will be pasture to feed livestock in the coming months. The situation, according to Bellido, had been critical. In this sense, the water is a real relief for the sector.
Benito Avilés, the president of the Campillos cooperative, said the rains had improved the outlook for crops. As an example, olives in less than 24 hours have gone from being wrinkled to having a "good finish".
"The rains have been very good for the land. In the Antequera and Guadalteba area, things are going very well. In Archidona, too. The wrinkling of the olives has gone and the soil has absorbed the water very well. It hasn't rained for many years in October," he said.
It's also good for future crops. Cereal is one of the most important crops for the province. Future yields change completely if sowing is done on well nourished fields and not on hard, cracked surfaces due to lack of water. Tuesday's rains, Bellido said, have improved the outlook for the coming months and are an injection of optimism for some professionals who have been in a negative spiral for years.
Despite the now more favourable context, the president of Asaja insists that the infrastructure that the province needs to improve the water situation must not be abandoned. "We ask the authorities not to give up on the infrastructure we need to be able to convey water and accumulate the water we need," he said.
The negative side of this rainy spell, which has left many farmers with a smile on their faces, is the damage caused by the Dana in the Guadalhorce valley area. In a first examination of the damage, Asaja points out that "a large number of crops and numerous agricultural infrastructures have been affected". Worst hit has been the citrus fruit sector.
"According to initial estimates, the flood is the biggest since the historic flood of 1989, with water levels of up to three metres high in some areas and extensive layers of mud on plots of land and on roads."
The association also gives some advice to affected farmers and reminds them of the importance of insuring their plots. "To those affected, we recommend that they drain the land as soon as possible to prevent further damage to the groves and that they carry out preventive treatments on the trees."
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