Farmers on the Costa Blanca are abandoning their traditional passtime of agriculture because there is no money in it and they have to work 14 hour days to only make ends meet.There is also a shortage of water which makes it even more difficult as without the water the fruit is of poor quality.The Young Farmers’ Association is warning that in particular  citrus orchards are disappearing and that the landscape of the country,which is so loved,is going to disappear too.

It appears that almost 4000 hectares of crops and orchards are being lost year by year.Agriculture is no longer profitable.The prices given for the crops just isn’t worth the effort.Farmers have to pay a lot for water even if it is available and often it isn’t available.

Normally the water comes from reservoirs in the area and from the River Tajo-Rio transfer channel.Some farmers are taking water from emergency wells,which should not be done except in real cases of emergency and serious droughts.

The number of immigrants working on farms has gone down by 30% as Spaniards are seeking employment on the land in these difficult economic times.Many have lost their normal jobs and are only to pleased to plant or harvest on the farms at the moment.