Climate alarm

mer months.

Spain is undergoing a severe drought, with 27% of the country's territory classified as in a drought ‘emergency’ or ‘alert’, and water reserves are at 50% of capacity nationally. The Spanish government has requested emergency funds from the European Union to support farmers in the country's agricultural heartlands. This drought has already driven up prices of Spanish olive oil to record levels as farmers report catastrophic crop failures, particularly of wheat and grain. UN figures now suggest that nearly 75% of Spain’s land is susceptible to desertification in the coming years due to climate change. Olive Press warned that desertification was spreading rapidly along the costas from Almeria into Murcia, Alicante, Granada and Malaga ten years ago.

Market movement

FIVE companies have bid to convert Elche’s old Central Market building into a major gastronomic and cultural centre.

Once chosen the winning tender will have 15 months to undertake the revamp at a cost of up to €7.2 million.

The new-look building will be modelled on La Boqueria in Barcelona or the San Miguel and San Anton markets in Madrid.