Balearic Islands almond area declines 53% in ten years

The Balearic Islands have seen a 53% reduction in almond cultivation area over the last decade. According to Andreu Juan, head of the Government's Agriculture Service, the current area stands at 8,228 hectares, a sharp decline from 65,000 hectares in the 1990s and 85,000 hectares in the 1980s.

Several factors have contributed to this decline. The Xylella fastidiosa bacterium, which was first detected in a Porto Cristo nursery in 2016, has been a primary cause, leading to the removal of 1,945 infected plants. Other contributing factors include the aging of trees, the prevalence of dryland farming, low profitability leading to crop abandonment, and the impacts of climate change.