GEN lettuce

Last week’s cold snap in Murcia has caused localised damage to vegetable production according to grower unions.

ASAJA Murcia said the low temperatures had particularly affected crops in the Guadalentín Valley, especially in Lorca, Totana, and also in Fuente álamo. The union estimates that more than 40 per cent of the area’s lettuce, artichoke and bean production has been lost due to the cold.

General secretary of the association Alfonso Gálvez Caravaca said: 'the cold has strongly affected horticultural crops, especially broccoli and artichokes, also lettuce in the Campo de Cartagena, where we are evaluating the losses, which are expected to surpass 35 per cent in some areas”.

In addition, Gálvez pointed out that lemon trees were also under threat if the cold snap continued.

The union said it would continue to evaluate the losses, which “economically speaking are considerable, and will impact many farmers and municipalities”.