From the north to the south of Portugal, nature is already feeling the prelude to spring with the almond blossom season.
Almond blossom is an attraction in other regions of the country, but now it can also be seen in the Alentejo, following the changes at all levels brought about by the Alqueva reservoir.
In the secluded village of Pias, the 70 hectares of almond trees belonging to the Margaça family are beginning to be covered in white and pink colors, the result of the Lauranne and Soleta varieties.
At this stage, production forecasts are still early, but everything points to the possibility of reaching 100 tonnes of kernels.
Due to its proximity to the waters of the Alqueva, the Margaça family’s almond grove (like other producers in this irrigated area) is protected from the risks of drought that have affected other regions of the country, particularly the Algarve.
For this producer from Baixo Alentejo, “there are other challenges to overcome, particularly for small national producers, where the big challenge is to guarantee production capacity that allows them to offset the low market price of almonds.”
“There are even farmers opting for olive groves (the crop that occupies the largest area of Alqueva) rather than almond groves because they don’t get a return on their high investments,” he emphasised.
“For the Margaça family, the focus remains on the continuity and diversification of production, hoping that the natural balance of the market will happen soon,” he concluded.
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