The continuing cold and drought is starting to cause serious damage to the campo in Andalucía.

 The freezing temperatures and a 50% reduction in the normal amount of rainfall has resulted in a loss of 78 million € in the region, according to the Union of Small Farmers UPA. 

Hard hit provinces are Almería, Sevilla, Córdoba, Huelva and Málaga and the UPA General Secretary, Agustín Rodríguez, claims that less than half the loss is covered by agricultural insurance.

In the last week several areas of the region have seen -7º overnight and 90% of the winter produce, such as artichokes, leeks and broccoli are affected. There is damage in 20% of citric fruit and the damage done in strawberries is as much as 50%.

The drought is meaning that there is very little grazing land, and this in turn has resulted in a 20% price hike in feeds for sheep, goats and cattle.