Spain faces an alarming situation due to persistent high temperatures and increasingly severe drought. This affects not only the population but also Spanish agriculture.
The drought is caused not only by the lack of rainfall but also by an increasing extraction of groundwater for agricultural purposes, both in the north and the south of the country.
The water shortage is becoming a growing nightmare, particularly for regions such as Catalonia and Andalusia. More than 600 villages, with a total of over 8.7 million inhabitants, are experiencing water restrictions: the water supply is completely shut off at night to refill reservoirs for daily use.
According to the Spanish Ministry of Environment, about three-quarters of the Spanish territory is at risk of desertification.
The combination of consecutive droughts and rising temperatures has led to an increase in water use for water-intensive crops, along with a larger number of mega pig farms. This has significantly increased water demand, while water availability is decreasing sharply.
For several years there has also been a continuous migration of the population from rural areas to cities. As a result, fewer workers are available, and more and more orchards and plantations are being 'left behind.'
This also impacts orange cultivation, once one of Spain’s main export products. The orange harvest of December 2022 was the smallest in twenty years. Today, half of the orange cultivation comes from the Valencia region and 45% from Andalusia. Since the beginning of this year, Spain has lost its leading position as exporter of oranges and citrus fruits to Egypt.
This pattern is also visible among Spanish avocado traders. Although they harvest in their own country for only four months, they are now active as distributors and exporters year-round, thanks to avocado imports. These avocados are partly used for the local market and partly re-exported.