It has 178,000 fallow hectares, which it could cultivate in part to be less dependent on grain from Ukraine and other countries.
Contrary to what happens with irrigation, the cereal capacity of the Region of Murcia is considered less relevant, despite the fact that the production of arable crops has multiplied by four in the last eight years. Now that the heavy dependence on Ukraine and other countries for grain, especially for livestock feed, has been exposed, there is a chance that the Region of Murcia could more than double the production of wheat, barley, corn and oats, but it depends on the EU.
The 139,785 tons of cereals for grain that were produced in 2020, the last one based on statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Water, are clearly insufficient for the annual needs of the Region. According to the General Director of Water, José Sandoval, 1.4 million tons are imported, a third from Ukraine. The dependence of this country and others in its environment is relevant, to the point that the livestock sector has developed a contingency plan to slaughter heads of cattle if grain for feed is not obtained from another source, such as the United States, Brazil and Canada. Stocks run out in a month.
The regional production of herbaceous crops has multiplied by 4.6 in the last eight years, mainly barley, oats and wheat
Another option is to increase cereal production, using fallow land for this, which in the case of the Region of Murcia offers an appreciable margin in relation to the currently cultivated area, which reaches 48,000 hectares. It has hardly increased in recent years, although the yield per hectare has, with an average of 3.78 tons. There are about 178,000 hectares fallow. “If they are cultivated with this productivity, around half a million more tons of cereal per year could be obtained in the Region, mainly barley, oats, wheat and corn,” says the Ministry. It specifies that said additional production “would occur in the event that the weather conditions were optimal.”
More in the Northwest
The president of Coag, José Miguel Marín, points out that the largest fallow area is found in the Northwest region. The extension fluctuates for years and depends on the campaign. «We have asked that it be possible to sow in those fallow lands; the CAP does not allow it, but the community authorities may give in if the war in Ukraine drags on». Marín points out the convenience of planting protein crops (oilseeds, chickpeas and lupins, among others). He points out that the almond plantations – some 70,000 hectares – have been gaining ground over cereals, which were previously more abundant in the Region of Murcia.
The largest productions are now in the Northwest, with 21,369 hectares, followed by the Guadalentín Valley, Altiplano, Vega del Segura, Campo de Cartagena and Río Mula.
The production of barley stands out, with 72,600 hectares, more than half of the total herbaceous; of oats, with 35,000; and wheat, with 27,100. All have experienced a progressive increase since 2014.
If the fallow areas are authorized, the Coag leader points out that it would be necessary to wait until autumn for sowing. Regardless of the evolution of the war in Ukraine, the weaknesses of the EU economy have been exposed.
When the cattle of Cuenca and Teruel grazed in Cartagena
The Campo de Cartagena had a cereal splendor that gave way to the irrigation of the Transfer in the last quarter of the last century. It was one of the areas where the annual harvest was anticipated, and in the 1960s it was common to see the passing of harvesting machines along the old national road 301 towards La Mancha. In addition to this, the Region of Murcia was a wintering area for herds from other provinces, especially from Cuenca and Teruel, according to the Cartagena City Council. Cattle transhumance circulated through the so-called Cañada Conquense-Murciana, which entered through the Altiplano and headed towards Puerto de la Cadena. He chose two routes: the Campo de Cartagena, through the Cordel de Fuente Álamo (37 meter wide track), or the province of Alicante, through the Cañada Real de Torreagüera. The Campo de Cartagena route was widely used, not only for its pastures but also for shipping flocks and wool to the ports of Genoa and Venice.
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