ARCHIVED - Agricultural sector fears vilification of Murcian products following worldwide coverage of Mar Menor crisis

The Minister of Agriculture has defended the actions of the sector but the regional media is reporting adverse reactions from major purchasers concerned by the international coverage

Since the first dead fish started to wash up on the shore of the Mar Menor almost two weeks ago (environmentalists cite the tonnage as being around eight tonnes), media coverage of the situation has been intense, social media contributing in no small way to the sharing of disturbing images of dead and dying fish worldwide, and attracting a barrage of negative international media coverage.

The Mar Menor has made headline news around the world, with coverage in the UK alone extending as far as the BBC and to other major European media.

Although there is little doubt that the actions of some of the largest agricultural producers in the Campo de Cartagena, who have drilled illegal boreholes to extract water from the Cartagena aquifer, built illegal desalination plants in which to desalinate the water extracted, before tipping the saline waste back into the aquifer, and have then undertaken intensive irrigated agriculture without obtaining the necessary permits for a period of years are undoubtedly at the heart of the problems currently assailing the lagoon, the sector is keen to point out that this is just “one element” of the total problem and is concerned about the vilification of the sector as a result.

Undoubtedly, there are also other hands in the pie as the CHS has turned a blind eye and failed to clamp down on those committing the infractions, as has the Murcia regional government . The government knew full well what was going on and did absolutely nothing to stop it, in spite of the continued warnings of environmentalists that the lagoon was deteriorating and significant problems needed to be addressed.

Murcia is a major fruit, vegetable and salad producer, exporting to not only the rest of Spain, but also throughout Europe and the sector is powerful and influential. There is no doubt at all that the majority of the producers and those working within the sector do comply with environmental legislation and there is no denying the importance of the sector for employment and revenue generation within the region.

This week the national Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, defended the work carried out by farmers in the Mar Menor area, expressing his regret that the infractions being committed are reflecting badly on the "prestige" and "reputation" of the whole of the agricultural sector within the Region of Murcia.

He accepted that: "Indeed, there may be some farmers who have carried out some infringement in water or phytosanitary matters, which goes against the prestige and reputation of all farmers in the area," he said, going on to state that "what has happened in the Mar Menor is an episode that should not be reproduced but that cannot and should not be generalized throughout our sector."

His department is working to develop new strategies for sustainable food production, since "there is no room for non-sustainable agri-food production", but also It must be "from the economic, social, territorial and fight against climate change point of view" and he expressed his concern that the situation in the Mar Menor should be rectified and legislation complied with.

However, the regional Spanish language media are already reporting that the negative coverage of the last two weeks is leading to an undermining of the credibility of Murcia produce and a negative reaction internationally towards the huge amount of work (and considerable amount of money spent on advertising campaigns) to build an image of wholesome quality relating to Murcian produce.

La Opinión reports that agri-food operators and supermarket chains are already starting to ask companies exporting products grown in the Mar Menor basin not to mention on the labelling that the fruits or vegetables come from Murcia but instead give their point of origin as being from Spain.

The paper has interviewed a number of representatives from the various bodies working within the export sector, who have confirmed that they have already been questioned by supermarket chains about the origin of the water being used to irrigate their produce and the nitrate load used to produce it, as was the case following the incident of anoxia in 2019 which killed an estimated 300,000 kilos of fish in the Mar Menor.

Fecoam said that so far the impact of the adverse coverage has not caused the cancellation of any specific orders, but stated that if this dynamic "of blaming agriculture as the trigger for the problem" continues, he would not be surprised if this happened, whilst the Fundación Ingenio, interviewed by Cadena Ser, said that they had received direct instructions to ensure that products were labelled as being of Spanish, not Murcian, origin.

Next week the agricultural and export organizations of the Region, including Proexport, Fecoam and Apoexpa, COAG, ASAJA and UPA will be issuing a joint statement defending their position and the good practices employed in most agricultural concerns of the region and the national Minister for Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, who visited the region this week and urged the regional government to santion those found guilty of committing the infractions and restore the land closest to the Mar Menor to its original condition, promised that next week she would meet with the agricultural sector to address the problem of the Mar Menor; she has expressed her support this week for proposals to purchase agricultural land close to the lagoon and formulate a “green band” around it, ensuring agricultural concerns are paid for the work they will be undertaking to facilitate this change.

On Wednesday September 1 regional agricultural minister Antonio Luengo will address the regional assembly and the regional government is set to pass a decree enforcing a ban on all nitrates in farming close to the shores of the lagoon.

The problems facing the Mar Menor are very complex. CLICK HERE to find out more (full background document in English).