Spain (Sa Pobla): Hailstorm destroys potato crops

The weather has dealt a severe blow to farmers in northern Mallorca.

Following the hailstorm that hit this Monday at noon , farmers have begun assessing the damage, confirming that the crop is affected at a time when the potato crop is practically minuscule. "The potatoes haven’t even grown," another farmer shows, pulling the potato plants out of the ground, confirming the worst-case scenario. The potatoes have not yet developed enough to be sold. It wouldn’t have been until December or January that they would have developed enough to be sold.

This natural disaster adds critically to the already unsustainable situation of the sector, which has been stifled by the nematode plague and the lack of viable solutions , which has led to a drastic decrease in crop production this summer. "Furthermore, the insurance doesn’t cover the cost of these losses; they would need to be reviewed," they state, emphasizing that production prices are outdated. They also demand that Sa Pobla be declared an area affected by a plague and that urgent aid be provided to the agricultural sector.

Irreversible losses

Hail hit potato crops planted this summer. In the Son March area, one of the hardest hit, the damage has been severe. The potatoes had time left to reach optimal maturity and continue their growth cycle. However, the hail has destroyed the crop plants. According to initial estimates by farmers, this damage could result in a production loss of up to 60% on the hardest-hit farms. While the impact has not been uniform and some producers are still hoping to save part of their harvest, the economic losses extend to other crops, affecting rice as well.

This meteorological phenomenon comes at the worst possible time. The Sa Pobla potato crop was already suffering a structural crisis marked by the virulence of the nematode pest and the helplessness of farmers in the face of strict European phytosanitary regulations, which have deprived them of the most effective chemical tools.

The loss of 60% of the harvest, coupled with the decapitalization caused by nematodes, the abandonment of more than 500 plots of land , and the lack of fair prices—as reported by farmers to the Regional Ministry—further compromises the viability of farms. This new natural disaster deepens the precariousness of a sector that had already warned it urgently needs structural solutions to avoid collapse. Some have already abandoned the countryside, seeking alternatives in other sectors.