Drought leaves Spain without olives and France without mustard

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 ...