Hail damage devastates crops in Yecla and Jumilla, with losses nearing €80 million

Preliminary figures show nearly 40,000 hectares of cropland were affected by the hailstorms, and concerns are mounting among farmers over the long-term impact

Several days of hailstorms in the Region of Murcia of late have caused damage to fruit trees and other agricultural land in the northern municipalities of Yecla and Jumilla, with early estimates placing the total production losses at nearly €80 million.

The data, compiled by the agricultural organisation COAG, reveal the full extent of the destruction, with almost 40,000 hectares impacted.

The storms – which began last Saturday, May 10, and have continued this Tuesday and Wednesday, May 13 and 14 – left a swathe of destruction across 38,400 hectares, with COAG identifying two levels of impact: a high-intensity damage zone covering 22,214 hectares and a medium to light damage zone spanning 17,764 hectares.

In Yecla alone, around 6,000 hectares of vineyards, almond trees, olive groves and cereal crops have been hit. COAG’s preliminary valuation puts production losses at €45 million for fruit crops, €13 million for almond trees, €11 million for vineyards, €8.13 million for olive groves and €1.18 million for cereal crops in the affected areas.

COAG warned that the true cost may be even higher, citing extensive structural damage to the wood of trees and plants.

“The tree or plant has been weakened, causing a reduction in vigour and less vegetative growth,” they explained, which will translate into a “loss of production potential for the following season”.

This additional damage could add a further €39 million to the overall losses.

The organisation also highlighted indirect economic losses caused by the sudden unavailability of produce. These include costs related to handling, packaging and transport, which are expected to exceed €15 million.

In response, COAG has urged Agroseguro, the national agricultural insurance body, to speed up the claims process. They are calling for compensation to be finalised during the initial field inspection, without the need for a second visit, in order to accelerate payouts to affected farmers.

Agroseguro has reported that the Region of Murcia accounts for around 12.5% of all hail-related damage recorded across Spain so far this year, with at least 10,000 hectares of insured crops affected. Initial estimates show over 6,000 hectares of fruit trees, vineyards, olive groves, almond trees and horticultural crops in Jumilla and Yecla alone.

The regional government of Murcia is calling for the creation of a contingency fund for climate-related disasters to allow rapid direct payments to affected areas.

Agroseguro has pledged to deploy approximately 200 experts in the coming days to carry out damage assessments, reinforcing the team with professionals from other regions if needed.

Images: Ayuntamiento de Yecla