After a weekend of terror, now is the damage count. The damage caused by bad weather to agriculture in the South is enormous. Confagricoltura is monitoring the situation through its own structures in Sicily, Calabria and Puglia which are the most affected regions.
In Sicily, strong gusts of wind destroyed hundreds of greenhouses Pachino in Victoria. Tomorrow, Tuesday 26 February, the regional councilor for agriculture, Edy Flag, will travel to Pachino, Portopalo and Ispica for an initial survey of the damage suffered by the territory and by the farms. In Calabria, on the other hand, the impetuous wind uprooted sheds and destroyed tree crops - from vineyards to fruit trees - especially in Cosenza, Crotone and Catanzaro.
The strong wind and the continuous changes in temperature have disrupted the production structures also in Basilicata. There is also something to worry about for the fruit trees (apricots, peaches, plums, cherries and almonds) in bloom and the strawberry campaign underway in Metapontino.
The situation has also worsened due to the regions' delays in implementing the various aid measures. THE Rural development programs they will receive financial support from the state as weather disasters are now a daily occurrence.
"The situation is particularly difficult in many farms in Sicily where dozens of greenhouses have been damaged by the wind in the provinces of Ragusa and Syracuse in places such as Scicli, Ispica, Pozzallo, Vittoria and Pachino where the fine vegetables are produced - underlines the Coldiretti -. The damage mainly concerned the structures and plastic roofing with crops that remained at the mercy of the wind. The first inspections are underway for the necessary checks but also to intervene and limit losses in an already difficult season for market trends."
