Spain: The cultivated area of chickpea from Escacena grows by 11% although production could fall by 25% due to lack of rain

The cultivated area during the current 2021 campaign in the 11 municipalities of Huelva and Seville that make up the territory of the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Garbanzo de Escacena’ has increased by 11 percent compared to last year 2020, going from 584 to 646 hectares. Escacena del Campo and Paterna del Campo are the two municipalities that concentrate the largest area - 68 percent of the total - dedicated to the sowing of chickpeas in this PGI, the only one in Andalusia linked to the activity of legumes. However, the increase in the sowing area will not mean an improvement in the chickpea production data in this new season. The estimates made by the Regulatory Council of the Protected Geographical Indication ‘Garbanzo de Escacena’ point to a 25 percent decrease in production. The reason for this fall is the extremely dry spring and the lack of rain that has been experienced in the countryside area covered by the PGI ‘Garbanzo de Escacena’, an aspect that directly affects ...