Es preferible no hacer acto de presencia aquí.

The storms that have hit the Community of Madrid have left a devastating scene for the region’s farmers: a thousand hectares of flooded crops and significant economic losses.

The heavy rains along with the release of water from the reservoirs have caused the water to overflow, severely affecting the croplands and livestock, especially in the Vega del Tajo and municipalities like Perales de Tajuña.

One such case is Julio José, a farmer from Perales de Tajuña, whose farm has been devastated by the floods from the Tajuña River. «We work with care, with love, to harvest these crops for our customers, and then you find yourself faced with this scene that is better not to be seen around here,» declares Julio José, visibly affected.

His asparagus plantation, which promised a good harvest, has been lost by 70%, and the greenhouses with tomato and lettuce plants have also been completely flooded. «No matter how much sun shines, the first thing is that they will cook, the soil will become waterlogged, there is no way to salvage them,» he laments.

This is not an isolated case. Other farmers and ranchers in the region report fields of cereals, wheat, barley, and alfalfa burned by the water, isolated cattle, and dead animals. According to those affected, the problem lies not only in the rains but also in the release of water from the reservoirs and the lack of maintenance of the riverbeds. In Aranjuez, for example, the Tajo River, which usually has a width of 20 meters, has reached 150-200 meters in some areas, sweeping away everything in its path.

The consequences extend to the farmers themselves. As Julio José explains, these losses also affect consumers: «If you don’t grow asparagus, I can’t buy them, or they will come from Peru, from China, lower quality, prices will rise.» The lack of local and seasonal products could drive prices up and reduce the quality of what reaches Madrid tables.

In light of this situation, farmers are calling for greater sensitivity and support from the authorities. The Community of Madrid is considering requesting the declaration of a disaster area for the affected municipalities, a measure that Julio José views cautiously: «If that help truly comes, then we will applaud it. If not, perhaps the help will be lost somewhere.»

Furthermore, there is an urgent need to keep the riverbeds clean and improve reservoir management to prevent these tragedies from recurring. «The river overflows and the box that the river should bring, if it needs to carry x cubic meters, here we believe we have something but we don’t even have half of what it should carry in water,» they denounce.

Once again, the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to extreme weather events has been demonstrated, emphasizing the importance of proper planning to protect both producers and consumers.

Meanwhile, farmers like Julio José are fighting to move forward, with heavy hearts, but with the hope that aid will arrive and lessons will be learned to prevent future catastrophes.