Moscatell Harvest Returns As Farmers Recover 60 Per Cent Of Production

Teulada Moraira’s emblematic Moscatell grape is erstwhile again base fruit, bringing alleviation to section farmers aft a disastrous 2024 play marked by terrible drought. Last year’s harvest of Moscatell of Alexandria was almost wholly lost, a business described by growers arsenic “a twelvemonth to forget”. However, 2025 has brought renewed dream pinch vines showing signs of recovery.

Farmer and president of nan Associació d’Agricultors de Raïm de Moscatell, Vicente Coello, estimates this year’s harvest will scope astir 60 per cent of normal production. “In different seasons we person harvested astir 2.5 cardinal kilos, but this twelvemonth we expect astir 900,000 kilos,” he explained to Lamarinaalta.com.

According to Coello, nan betterment comes arsenic a affirmative surprise. “We were not expecting grapes astatine all; our main purpose was to prevention nan vines. We worked them arsenic if it were a normal year, pinch other fertiliser and treatments to support nan plants alive. All those efforts person paid off.”

Long-term h2o solutions

Support besides came from Teulada Moraira Town Hall, which launched €500,000 successful assistance past October to thief farmers sphere their vines. Although not nonstop assistance, it allowed growers to warrant portion of their investments successful keeping nan harvest alive.

Rainfall has been little abundant than successful different parts of nan Marina Alta, but capable for nan plants to sorb nutrients. While not each vines person survived, those that stay are producing smaller yet high-quality clusters. If upwind conditions are favourable, Coello believes adjacent year’s harvest could scope 80 to 90 per cent of a normal crop.

Teulada’s curen plant

Yet ambiance remains nan main threat. Farmers proceed to telephone for semipermanent h2o solutions, peculiarly nan reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation. Coello recalled that location president Mazón promised €7 to €8 cardinal for a caller curen works successful Teulada, “but truthful acold it has remained conscionable a promise”.

The value of Moscatell, presently astatine €3 per kilo, is different concern. “In a normal twelvemonth this would beryllium acceptable, but correct now we besides request to dress up for nan losses of 2024,” said Coello, stressing nan labour-intensive and artisanal quality of nan crop.

Harvesting is now successful afloat plaything and will proceed until mid aliases precocious September. On Saturday August 30, Teulada Moraira celebrated nan Festa del Moscatell, a accepted arena uniting farmers and neighbours successful honour of their astir symbolic fruit.