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News

Water and Tomato Season: Italy, Spain, Portugal & California

22/04/2025 - Madeleine Royère-Koonings - 2025 season
With the first tomato plants now in the ground, the anticipation for the season ahead is palpable. However, as growers across different regions embark on this agricultural cycle, a stark contrast in water availability paints a diverse picture from one country to the next, and even from one region to the next in Italy.

According to the latest monthly Climate Bulletin of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), March 2025 was the warmest on record for Europe, the second-warmest globally, with marked dry and wet anomalies for Europe, as illustrated on the image below.
Anomalies in surface air temperature and precipitation for March 2025 with respect to March averages for the period 1991-2020. The precipitation anomalies correspond to the total precipitation for the month expressed as a percentage of the average for 1991-2020. Data source: ERA5. Credit: C3S/ECMWF.

The contrasting water scenarios are further detailed in the following summary of the situation in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and relevant information from California.

Italy
In the North:
From Alessandro Piva, OI Pomodoro Nord VP and Director of the AOP CIO: "At the moment there are no issues concerning water supply as the reservoirs and aquifers are at maximum level. The heavy and persistent rains of March have delayed transplants in some areas, but to date the transplants planned for week 14 have almost been completed, while those scheduled for week 15 are between 30% and 60% depending on the different areas of northern Italy. The transplants planned for week 16 have not yet started due to bad weather.  In some more western areas, the rainfall exceeded 130 mm in a few days. The weather forecast for week 17 is still too uncertain to predict when transplant operations can be resumed."

In the South:
  • The region of Basilicata is facing a critical lack of water, so much so that the upcoming irrigation season for 2025 is severely compromised. There is widespread concern among tomato producers in the Ofanto Valley (Lavello), with projections of a 40% decrease in the area dedicated to processing tomatoes compared to 2024. The 2025 season is already underway with early transplants beginning in late April. Delays in farmers' planting decisions due to water uncertainty could jeopardize the entire season. Local growers are waiting for authorities to outline the irrigation plan, including the criteria and methods for allocating reduced water resources.
  • In the region of Puglia, the ongoing water emergency is anticipated to lead to even greater reductions in crop yields. Farmers without alternative water sources are moving away from water-intensive "red gold" (likely tomatoes) and opting for crops like chickpeas that require less water. The Occhito dam, crucial for irrigation in the Capitanata area, is alarmingly low, holding only 71 million cubic meters of water as of the first week of April. This represents only 50% of its usable capacity. Even with recent rainfall in late March, an estimated 30-50 million cubic meters of water will flow into the largest flood district in Puglia. However, this will only allow for agricultural distribution in the northern part of the dam's service area. Despite this recent rain, the dam still faces a deficit of 20 million cubic meters compared to its maximum capacity of 150 million cubic meters.

Spain










After enduring a multi-year drought, Spain has experienced significant rainfall in the past two months (50 days). This has replenished reservoirs to levels sufficient for the tomato season, ensuring plants are unlikely to face water scarcity. In Extremadura, the Guadiana reservoir now stands at 68.47%, a 20% increase from last year, while Andalusia's Guadalquivir reservoir is at 60.23%, approximately 17% higher than last year.



Portugal
Portugal enters the tomato season with its dams and reservoirs at high capacity, as illustrated in the image.









California
California's snowpack has reached 96% of its historical average, a critical source of water for the state. While the Sierra snowpack typically provides about 30% of California's water, recent wet and snowy weather has improved the situation after a three-year dry spell. As of early April, the snowpack is at 96% of its peak, and statewide precipitation is 103% of average, bringing the total water supply close to normal due to snowmelt. This has led to increased water allocations for various projects. However, concerns remain about potential future dry spells and the long-term impacts of climate change, which is expected to increase droughts, reduce snow accumulation, and heighten wildfire risks due to earlier snowmelt and drier conditions.

Additional information:
On April 15th, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) published the 2024 European State of the Climate (ESOTC) report. The full report can be downloaded here.

Sources:
Barragens.pt, embalses.es, freshplaza.it, agrisole.ilsole24ore.com, Eurostat, News Week & Professional sources
 
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