Cooperatives predict the worst cereal harvest in the last 35 years in La Rioja

A little over a month ago, Diario LA RIOJA echoed the concern among dryland grain growers regarding the lack of rainfall. It was still early to make predictions, but farmers considered half of the harvest lost. Well, the first estimates have arrived and they are not at all flattering. Not in vain, a report from the Agri-Food Cooperatives of Spain offers data that, if true, would represent the worst year for the sector in, at least, the last 35, which are those that appear in the Agrarian Statistics of the Government of La Rioja .

This report foresees a harvest for this year of 119,600 tons, a very low figure that would represent a decrease of close to 30% compared to the previous year, classified as very bad by the sector, and which is far from the 216,000 that have been harvested. on average, in the last four years. The contrast between the Rioja record and that of the rest of the country is also striking. The cooperatives’ estimates point to an increase in tons both in nearby communities and in Spain as a whole, a trend that would not be met in La Rioja.

Why is this happening? An explanation is given from one of the cooperatives in the region, Garu. “In La Rioja Alta the year has been very bad,” says José Moneo. “From Santo Domingo to the Tirón area, passing through Herramélluri, Leiva, Treviana or Cuzcurrita, the cereal is worse than last year, even though 2023 was very bad,” he adds.

Moneo acknowledges that, in the areas “closest to the mountains” the situation is more favorable, but the rest suffer from the absence of rain during Holy Week. «If it had rained like in the rest of Spain, it would have been fixed. However, instead of falling 100 liters, ten fell,” he points out. “Then it rained in San Isidro, but it was already late,” he concludes.

In any case, the cooperatives’ report speaks of estimates. It cannot be any other way because the harvest has not begun yet. In fact, Néstor Alcolea believes that “it will be difficult” for this year to be worse than last. “In 2023 cereal was an absolute disaster and this year the general appearance is better, although there are areas that have suffered a lot,” certifies the UPA Secretary of Organization. “In any case, it won’t be seen until it starts to be harvested,” he concludes.

“Terrifying” situation

Óscar Salazar, Foncea cereal farmer and president of UAGR, considers that there are municipalities that are worse than last year. “Everything indicates that there is going to be a drop in yields,” he laments. “There are areas in which losses can be around 70 or 80% of a normal year,” he says.

If these negative forecasts came true, farmers would have three years of harvest declines. “And that is combined with an exorbitant increase in production costs and a drop in the price of cereal to make the situation of farmers dramatic,” he says. “The drought that La Rioja is suffering is terrifying and where it is affecting the most is the towns where there is the most cereal: there will be farms that will not be able to continue,” warns the farmer.

Igor Fonseca, meanwhile, remembers that these are only forecasts and that it is not yet known what the reduction in the harvest will be, but he does predict that some areas will register “very low” yields. “In the northernmost area of ​​La Rioja, which is the most productive, is where it has rained the least at the time when it was most needed,” says the general secretary of ARAG-Asaja. “It also happened to them last year, but the effect was less,” he adds.

Lastly, the agricultural organizations of the region agree on the need for aid for this type of situation. “We have asked the Ministry to evaluate them,” says Fonseca, while Salazar believes it is essential to convene the Drought Roundtable. “In other communities they have done it and here it is necessary because we have to come together to find solutions: three years of losses are many and the situation in many farms is critical,” emphasizes the UAGR man.

In that sense, the Government of La Rioja announced at the end of May the preparation of a list of municipalities and crops affected by the drought to implement aid, although agricultural organizations still have no evidence that it is a reality. “We don’t know how this issue is,” says Salazar, while Fonseca believes that said report will already be done or “about” to be completed. Alcolea, finally, explains: “I believe that it is not necessary to do this statistical study, but rather that the farmer in any area that reports a drought and Agroseguro recognizes it, assesses it and rates it as such, must be able to collect that help.”