The Agriculture Ministers of Spain and Portugal have asked the European Commission for additional financial support for farmers suffering from persistent drought. Large parts of the countryside in northern Spain and Portugal have appeared almost 'dried out' for months, and agricultural yields are continuing to decline.
European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, said he has already met his Southern European colleagues on the sidelines of an informal meeting in Strasbourg. Wojciechowski spoke with Luis Planas and his Portuguese counterpart, Maria do Céu Antunes, about the impact of the unusual winter drought. They are exploring which funds can be mobilized to offset the damage to agriculture and support the sector.
Spain and Portugal want to discuss this issue at the ministers' meeting next week in Brussels. Two weeks ago, the Portuguese government announced restrictions on the use of water from reservoirs for electricity production. Restrictions also apply to the use of water in agriculture due to the drought affecting mainland Portugal.
The decision was partly based on forecasts indicating an '80% chance' that 2022 will be an exceptionally dry year.
The Spanish government will 'take the necessary measures' if it does not rain next week. There are even concerns about 'restrictions' in the medium term. Any measures will follow after the next meeting of the Council of Agriculture and Fisheries of the European Union.
The drought does not affect Spain equally. Especially the regions of Andalusia, Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha, various areas in Murcia, Lleida, and Girona have been impacted.