The two storms that crossed Andalusia last week – Aline on Thursday, 19, and Bernard on Sunday, October 22 – have caused considerable damage to Andalusia’s nursery sector, especially in the provinces of Cadiz, Seville, and Huelva.
Storm Aline caused localized damages. Meanwhile, storm Bernard has caused considerable destruction, especially in the cut-flower greenhouses of the provinces of Cadiz and Seville. The most affected municipalities in the province of Cadiz were Chipiona and Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and the most affected ones in the province of Seville were Lebrija and Los Palacios. There have been all kinds of damages, and they have affected both crops and infrastructure. In many cases, the greenhouses have collapsed, leaving the entire production outdoors to weather the storm.
There is widespread damage on the 350 hectares dedicated to the cultivation of cut flowers that are estimated to exist between the aforementioned municipalities, but it ranges from the total loss of facilities and production to only damage to facilities. The sector is still assessing the damages. To make matters worse, these damages took place a few days before the sector’s most important date from a commercial point of view, such as All Saints’ Day, which concentrates an important part of the agricultural campaign’s sales volume.
The cut flower sector was the most affected sector, but the storm also affected other types of nurseries. Fruit and ornamental plant nurseries, mainly in the province of Huelva and in municipalities such as Cartaya and Lepe, suffered considerable losses, with severe damage to structures and the production of plants and seedlings.
While there are Agroseguro lines to ensure this type of production, their acceptance by the sector is very low, so any line of aid designed by the different administrations that requires having an agricultural insurance policy will have virtually no impact on the sector.
Asociaflor-Andalucía is the Andalusian Association of Nurserymen and Florists that represents more than 40 companies in the sector of cut flower and live plant production in Andalusia.
For more information:
Asociaflor-Andalucía
www.asociaflor.com