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Climate change continues to hit Spain’s Valencian countryside hard. In the Marina Alta region of Alicante, grape growers are facing another tough year after spring rains have wreaked havoc on vineyards, causing losses of up to 90% in some fields and averaging around 50%.

 

The unusually heavy rainfall between April and May has encouraged the spread of fungal diseases such as mildew and powdery mildew, as well as outbreaks of the green midge, a pest that attacks weakened vines.

 

“The first thing mildew does is attack the leaves, but this year it has gone straight to the grapes. People think it won’t affect them because they don’t see it, but it dries them out and they die completely,” explains Antonio Puig, AVA-Asaja delegate in Xaló.

 

Powdery mildew has also arrived late in the season, surprising farmers and damaging the harvest just as it begins. Puig describes one of his plots in Jesús Pobre, next to Montgó, with Sauvignon Blanc: “There is not a single good grape left. About a hundred metres of vines don’t have a single usable berry.” He warns that harvesting may need to be brought forward to salvage what remains: “The grapes split, sugar falls out, acidity enters, and it can turn into vinegar while attracting mosquitoes,” he says.

 

The green midge presents a particularly costly challenge. While mildew can be treated with copper and powdery mildew with sulphur, Puig says a litre of product to tackle green midge costs 96 euros. AVA-Asaja is now urging direct aid and fiscal support for farmers, alongside research into more effective treatments.

 

Muscat grapes, grown mainly for the table, have been hit hardest. “In Teulada, the grapes haven’t reached the size needed to sell on the table,” says Puig. After last year’s disastrous drought, when many plants in Poble Nou de Benitachell, Jávea, and Dénia died, growers had hoped for recovery. “Now we’ll make do with what we can and the campaign will be short,” Puig adds.

 

As the climate continues to challenge traditional farming, Marina Alta’s grape growers are left hoping for the best while dealing with some of the toughest conditions they have seen in recent years.

 

 

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