National Garlic Table foresees recovery in planted area, but less production

The National Garlic Board has reported that the current campaign, with 24,000 hectares planted, has recovered cultivated area compared to previous years, although production is expected to be lower than last year. The Board held an assembly this Thursday in Las Pedroñeras (Cuenca), where the lower production was attributed to adverse weather conditions and a lack of active ingredients for controlling weeds, pests, and diseases. By autonomous communities, Andalusia is the region that has registered the largest increase in planted area, 31%, as it had a very strong decline in planted area during the drought of previous years, which it has partially recovered this year, according to Cooperativas Alimentarias. Attendees have warned of "the loss of competitiveness of Spanish garlic production," which is reflected, over the last four campaigns, in a continuous decline in the sale of Spanish garlic in Europe (-17%) and outside Europe (-21%), while at the same time, during these same four ...