Farmers irrigating with water from a tank to alleviate the effects of the drought that affects the island this year, and because the irrigation water from Canal Gestión is not guaranteed to all areas of the island.
The exceptional drought that is ravaging the Canary Islands has taken a toll on most agricultural crops in the region, ruining onion, potato and grape productions. The optimum amount of rainfall to ensure a good harvest is 400 to 450 liters, but this year, barely 150 liters fell in the months of October and November, and it has hardly rained since then. To this we must add the fact that the irrigation water of Canal Gestión doesn't reach all areas of the island.
This lack of rain has caused this year's onion harvest to be non-existent for the first time in history; a dramatic situation, taking into account that in the late 80's, Lanzarote's production reached up to 25 million kilos.
However, this year's garlic harvest has been saved, with a production amounting to about 85,000 kilos, according to industry sources. The fact that this crop is planted in September, unlike onions, which are usually planted in December, has allowed it to benefit from the few liters of rain recorded on the island since then.
As regards potatoes and grapes, the prospect is that their productions will be halved compared to the harvests obtained in 2018. The grape sector already said that this year's production won't exceed the 2 million kilos, compared to the almost 4 that were obtained last year, which was one of the best harvests in decades.
Source: canarias7.es
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