Agricultural DANA losses in Valencia revised up
One month after the torrential rains, hailstorms, and winds that caused catastrophic, incalculable losses, the Valencian Farmers' Association (AVA-ASAJA) has provided updated estimates on the economic impact of the DANA (Isolated High-Level Depression) in the Valencian Community.
The initial estimate of 1,089 million euros in losses has been revised upwards to 1,379.4 million euros. This increase of 290 million is due to greater knowledge of the damage to infrastructure, especially irrigation systems, a higher-than-expected decline in crop yields, and the inclusion of more affected hectares and municipalities, particularly in Castellón, which saw two periods of torrential rains in late October and mid-November.
The updated assessment by AVA-ASAJA indicates that the agricultural and livestock sectors suffered damage to a total of 50,184 hectares across 12 counties in Valencia and 3 in Castellón. The most affected regions were Ribera Alta, Utiel-Requena, l'Horta Sud, and Ribera Baixa in Valencia, and Baix Maestrat, Plana Alta, and Alt Maestrat in Castellón.
The largest component of the losses, amounting to 729 million euros, is damage to infrastructure, including 300 million in irrigation systems that were flooded, damaged by landslides, or rendered unusable. Crop losses, both from damage to unharvested crops and a 15% reduction in citrus production, account for 322 million euros. Significant losses were also reported for persimmons, seasonal vegetables, and avocados.
The president of AVA-ASAJA, Cristóbal Aguado, has criticized the support measures approved so far by the central government and the Generalitat Valenciana as "absolutely insufficient" to compensate for the real losses of the agricultural sector, noting that many affected producers will not receive any aid.