SPAIN-PORTUGAL TOUR REPORT- MAY 2025
Industry lessons from Spain and Portugal
By Deidre Jaensch
THE Almond Industry 11-day study tour provided plenty of food-forthought and presented alternative productions systems that stretched our imaginations in terms of what might be possible. While Spain has 33 %( 765,540ha) of the global almond surface area it only accounts for 9 % of the global almond production. Despite lower yields they have been able to achieve economically sustainable production. Nineteen representatives of the Australian almond industry including growers, researchers, advisers, ABA directors and staff started their journey in Barcelona, eager to better understand the Spanish and Portuguese production models and their operating environment. It was clear from the onset that there had been a lot of change in the last 10 years with the almond production areas across Spain( exceeding 609,514ha) and Portugal( 56,015ha) having increased by over 35 percent in the last decade. Recent investment into agriculture, water storage and delivery infrastructure, in particular the Alqueva project in Portugal, has seen an increase in almond orchards with access to pressurised irrigation water of approximately 155,190 hectares or 18 % of total production area across Spain and Portugal. Production levels are anticipated to continue to rise for both Spain and Portugal as the new plantings mature. Unfortunately, the reported yields of 2-3 tonnes per hectare were not reflected in the crop loads seen on the trees due to the wet spring with endless days of drought-breaking rains hampering nut set. Despite improved access, water still remains the primary limiting factor to production. Water allowances provided through irrigation schemes is set by the regulators at the start of each year and growers reported using anywhere from 6-9ML / ha subject to regional restrictions e. g. drought or rains etc. Water is tied to the land, no water transfer between crops is permitted and no trade mechanism exists and mixing of groundwater and irrigation water is prohibited. Growers said they would use more
The 11 day tour from Barcelona( Spain) to Lisbon( Portugal). https:// maps. app. goo. gl / YxL4WSyaqReYkqjC7
EDIA Portugal provides an overview of the Alqueva project which has attracted investment into regional development and irrigated agriculture over the last 10 years.
water if allowed but additional water is only available to those with a private bore or reservoir. The group’ s visit to Agromillora nursery provided context for EU market requirements and a timeline in the advances towards planar canopies within a super high density( SHD) agronomical model from 300 trees to nearly 3,000 trees per hectare, with tree prices at 3.2 Euro( or AUD $ 5.63). These advances in intensification have been made possible through a 50-year breeding program across three agencies, IRTA, CITA, CEBAS. With molecular markers used to select exclusively for self-fertile and late blooming varieties.
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industry. australianalmonds. com. au
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