Spain: South African thrips have already caused damage to half of the pomegranate crop and losses of more than 15 million euros

LA UNIÓ Llauradora estimates that the South African quarantine thrips Scirtothrips aurantii Faure has already caused damage to almost half of the pomegranate harvest in the Valencian Community this campaign and direct losses exceeding 15 million euros. In permanent contact with affected farmers and after visiting the fields where the thrips have affected, the agricultural organisation estimates that the damage has already reached 50% of the production of the Valencian Community campaign, some 30,000 tonnes, of which almost all are located in the province of Alicante. The destruction is much more relevant because the majority of the production that is rejected for marketing is covered by the marketing regulations of the Protected Designation of Origin of the Mollar de Elche Pomegranate, where strict external and internal quality requirements are applied when bringing these pomegranates to the market. Fruit affected by thrips goes directly to the industry and is paid at ...