The hailstorm on May 7 that lasted 40 minutes and wiped out 90% of the soft fruit harvest in North East and central Murcia has cost the insurance companies some 38 million euros.
Some 8,600 hectares of orchards in the region were destroyed by the hail and some 11,200 plots of land, 7,100 along the banks of the River Segura, suffered damage. Although Calasparra was less affected than Blanca, Ricotta and Abarán the local apricot harvest was devastated.
Most of the large fruit farmers insure their produce although the smaller producers are likely to be left out of pocket.
