The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía plans to transfer this Tuesday the official data of the cotton crop assessment in the community.
According to the department's statement to Europa Press, in the current campaign, 1,100 hectares less than the minimum threshold set in the regulations, established at 48,000 hectares, have been planted. Therefore, "if more than 48,000 hectares are sown, the amount per hectare decreases, but if less is sown, the money is returned to Europe." In this way, it has been reminded that these figures are directly linked to the aid regime that the European Union allocates to this crop.
Specifically, "cotton has a specific fund of 60 million euros, with a minimum area of 48,000 hectares." The reduction in the planted area places the campaign below that threshold, which affects the management of these community subsidies.
In this context, Asaja is awaiting the publication of the final assessment to carry out a "rigorous" study of the cotton campaign in Andalucía. The agricultural organization has pointed out that "the weather conditions have not been entirely favorable and that the sowings have been very staggered."
As a consequence, "there are plots that are very advanced, others are very delayed, which generates a situation of uncertainty about the final results of the campaign."
Furthermore, they have reminded that "we have had a summer with tremendous heat and that never helps the crop," they have pointed out from Asaja, emphasizing that this excess of temperatures is another factor weighing on Andalusian cotton production.