A hailstorm during the pear harvest in the Alto Valley once again demonstrated the lack of infrastructure to protect the crops.

During this time of year, fruit growers in the Alto Valle know that they are not exempt from suffering some hailstorms that, depending on their magnitude, can end their production in the blink of an eye. This explains why those who have the means invest in protective measures such as anti-hail nets. However, in a scenario with increasingly tighter profitability, they remain few and far between. One of these hard hits was recently received by the producers in the town of Villa Regina, who, in the middle of the Williams pear harvest, saw around 800 to 1,000 hectares affected, according to the latest estimates, with farms recording damage to 10% to 20% of their surface area, while others suffered damage to 90%. "At this time of year, such a storm can occur, but this one in particular caught us by surprise. It formed suddenly in the afternoon, and what we least expected was such a heavy fall," said Mauricio Molinaro, president of the Regina Producers' Chamber, which also includes ...