Farmers in fight to save spuds

FARMERS in Sa Pobla are in a desperate fight to stop their potatoes getting their chips.

Following our story in issue 1442 regarding the bumper crops of spuds expected from the Sa region, growers have got a new headache.

Because of the freezing temperatures registered over the weekend February 23 to 25 and continuing into the start of the week, crops have now been threatened by frost.

For five days farmers have had to cover the crops.

On Monday The Councilor of Environment Gabriel Company visited the area to see the situation of the farmers.  At night they have constantly kept a vigilant watch over the crops.

On Monday night the temperatures dropped to minus 1 degrees C. The easiest way the farmers have found to combat the problem has been by irrigation.

They have started watering at 2am through to 8.30am. Alerts are sent automatically to the farmers’ mobile phones when temperatures drop below freezing.  This in turn starts the irrigation system via computers. Unfortunately one of the farms had a problem with its system and it is feared that this crop may be lost.