Spanish Agriculture Minister Luis Planas on Tuesday said a request for emergency funds to help the country’s agricultural sector cope with the ongoing drought has been made to the EU.
In a letter, Madrid asked the EU’s agricultural commissioner to activate the common agricultural policy’s (CAP’s) crisis reserve since the drought “is much more accentuated in Spain” than in other countries.
Spain is bracing for potentially record-breaking heat this week, one that could temperatures go as high as 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in Andalusia by Thursday.
The country’s meteorological service AEMET said the temperature will make it feel like mid-July, even though it is still April.
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The drought that has been gripping Spain for over a year is now been made worse by the heat and abnormally dry conditions.
Climate change will be a “fundamental determinant” of economic growth and financial stability, according to Bank of Spain Governor Pablo Hernández de Cos, as “Spain, could be more affected, in certain dimensions” by a warming planet.
The government has also decreed tax breaks for farmers to help them deal with failing crops.
Under the measure that is estimated to cost €1.8 billion ($1.99 billion), those working with the hardest-hit crops such as olives, almonds and beekeeping will see income taxes cut in half while others working with grains, oil crops, legumes, chestnuts, peaches, nectarines and livestock will get 30% reductions.
Story was adapted from AA.
