Drought leaves Spain without olives and France without mustard

Published 2022년 8월 9일

Tridge summary

Last July, Europe experienced its sixth warmest month and the driest average rainfall, leading to record temperatures and droughts, particularly in the west and south. The heat and drought are having a significant impact on the economy, especially the agricultural sector. Olive growers in southern Spain are facing significant losses due to extreme drought, with some areas seeing as little as 10% of their average production. The situation is further exacerbated by three heatwaves since May and a study suggesting the Iberian Peninsula's aridity levels have not been this low in a thousand years. The situation is critical, with water reserves at only 30% of capacity, and the risk of water shortages looming. The potential loss of crops, such as olives and mustard in France, could have significant economic implications, especially given Spain's role as a major producer of olive oil.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Last July was the sixth warmest in Europe, with record local and national temperatures in the west and north of the continent during the heat wave, according to the European Copernicus observation service. In addition, in Europe last July was the driest month on average, with record low rainfall in the continental west and droughts in various regions of the southwest and southeast. These conditions are affecting the economy locally, especially sectors such as agriculture. Thus, crops that are so traditional for the lives of Europeans, such as Spanish olives or mustard in France, are being affected. In scorching heat, Felipe Elvira inspects the branches of his olive trees, which stretch as far as the eye can see on a dusty hill in southern Spain. "In these, there are no olives. It's all dry," he throws worried. Owner with his son of a 100-hectare farm in Jaén, the cradle of olive oil in Andalusia, this 68-year-old olive grower is at risk of losing a large part of his harvest due to ...

Source: Expansion