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After a couple of rough, bone-dry years, Axarquia is finally seeing some colour again. The mango harvest is bouncing back in style, with production expected to hit 35,000 tonnes, the best yield since 2021. Farmers are calling it a small miracle. For the uninitiated, the Axarquia is basically southern Spain’s tropical corner, where mango and avocado plantations have quietly shaped a local economy that depends as much on the weather as on global fruit trends. And lately, both have been pretty brutal. The long droughts nearly wiped out entire crops, forcing growers to ration irrigation and pray for the odd raincloud. A new rule for farmers and distributors But this year, luck and legislation seem to be on their side. The Spanish Interprofessional Organisation of Avocado and Mango (OIAM) has introduced a new sector rule: a tiny €0.02 per kilo contribution, split between farmers and distributors. It’s not much, but it’s meant to fund research, marketing campaigns, and smarter agricultural systems. Basically, a way to make the business sustainable before the next water crisis hits. Not everyone’s convinced, of course. Some farmers are wary of “another fee,” while others see it as a step towards innovation. “If it helps with research, that’s what really matters these days,” one grower said. Good news: the fields are green again Meanwhile, local irrigation communities have approved slightly higher water allocations this year and that’s made all the difference. After the disastrous 2023 campaign, when mango output dropped by 85 per cent and avocados by 60 per cent, the mood across the region has shifted from despair to cautious optimism. So yes, the fields are green again, the crates are filling up, and Velez-Malaga’s cooperatives are buzzing. Nobody’s calling it a full recovery yet, but the Axarquoa’s farmers are back on their tractors, smiling a little more than last season. And in this part of Andalusia, that’s saying something. Read here more news from Axarquia.
