The sale of shares in some fruit and vegetable companies triggers the figure from 18,492 euros to 29,432 in just one year
Abarán, a town in the Vega Alta del Segura with less than 13,000 inhabitants, is the municipality with the highest average gross income in the Region of Murcia in 2019. Not only has it taken first place from Molina de Segura, but it has also catapulted 30 steps between 2018 and 2019, according to the latest data published by the Tax Agency. Specifically, the average gross income has shot up from 18,492 euros to 29,432. This exceptional change is due to several “unique operations” in the fruit and vegetable sector, as confirmed to LA VERDAD by the mayor of the municipality, Jesús Gómez.
The first mayor explains that in 2019 “there were several operations to sell shares of fruit companies to private capital from investment funds. Abarán concentrates the three or four main producers of stone fruits in the Region and foreign capital has entered ». For example, Frutas Esther introduced the Miura group. For all this, “the owners have had to face an exorbitant declaration”, clarifies Gómez. In fact, the breakdown of the Tax Agency shows that the statistical leap is concentrated in the section of income from movable capital: they have gone from less than one million euros to more than 36. Jesús Gómez assures that this particular honor will be temporary: « This is very sporadic. I hope that next year, instead of 32, at least we will be between 20 and 30, but we cannot compete with Molina, Murcia or Cartagena ».
La Vega Media, in front
Behind Abarán, the ranking undergoes little change between 2018 and 2019. Thanks to its residential areas and its industrial fabric, Molina de Segura remains ahead of the large municipalities, Murcia and Cartagena. The ‘top 5’ is completed by San Javier, who surpasses Las Torres de Cotillas. In fact, all the towns of the Mar Menor exceed 20,000 euros.
However, the municipalities around the Vega Media del Segura, the area surrounding Murcia, dominate the first half of the table. At these levels there are also other large nuclei more distant from the capital, such as Lorca, Caravaca de la Cruz and Yecla. Precisely the municipality of Altiplano and Mula concentrate two of the steepest jumps in 2019. Of course, far from Abarán.
At the bottom of the ranking continues Albudeite, with 16,752 euros. That is, to 12,680 euros from Abarán (43% less). The difference between the two extremes has grown by 730 euros compared to 2019. Moratalla is located in the penultimate step, followed by other small and nearby towns such as Fortuna, Ricote and Campos del Río. As for Ojós and Ulea, the only two municipalities with less than 1,000 inhabitants, there are no data.
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