Spain Drought: Extreme Heat, Dry Conditions Could Further Push European Food Prices

Drought accompanied by extreme heat and dry conditions in recent months in Spain could further push European food prices, according to reports

oBeing the leading fruit and vegetable producer across the European Union (EU), Spain and its crops are vulnerable to the prolonged drought, which has been reported to be the country's worst in decades.

The EU food price hike could primarily affect crops and other agricultural products, where Spain is having a hard time to grow and harvest due to the prolonged heat. This year alone, northern Spanish regions, including the Catalonia region, have experienced an unprecedented drought that led to some water reservoirs to be almost depleted.

In recent years, the catastrophic environmental repercussions of drought have been evident in many parts of the world. Climate scientists have attributed that such phenomenon is linked to climate change and global warming. In 2022, a massive heat wave swept through Europe, resulting in wildfires and casualties in Spain and other EU countries.

Spain Drought

(Photo : Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images)
This picture taken on May 11, 2023, shows scorched fields, at the Donana National Park in Aznalcaraz, southern Spain. Spain's government today approved measures worth more than two billion euros to alleviate the impact of a prolonged drought that has hit its key agricultural sector. The country's water reserves are on average below 50 percent of capacity, while levels have fallen to roughly 25 percent in the two worst-hit areas - Andalusia in the south and Catalonia in the northeast.

In Spain's drought, Catalonia has been experiencing the worst drought in Europe in decades. This has forced authorities in Barcelona and other parts of the world, according to the BBC News.

While Spain's struggle is somehow micro-level, other EU countries are affected as well since most food items come from Spain. In a local level, some authorities have dealt with the depletion of water reservoirs, including bodies of water and reservoirs.

Also Read: Drought in Western US Could Last Until 2030 Due to Climate Change

EU Food Price Hike

European policymakers have resorted to price controls to address the issue of the EU food price hike, the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, according to the Financial Times, which reported that food prices across Europe has increased by 16.6% from the start of the year until April.

Swedish economist Lars Jonung reportedly said the Western World has not seen price controls since the 1970s. With this, scientists have blamed anthropogenic climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions and fossil fuel burning.

What is Drought?

Drought is known as a prolonged period of abnormal heat or temperatures that are above the historic average of a particular area or region, according to scientists. This extreme event is known for causing not only animal deaths but also the destruction of agricultural crops. Even some previous studies have linked them to the fall of ancient empires.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the persistence of dry weather and water supply problems can develop a dry period and become a drought. Although there is no specific timeline for drought, experts have estimated they can last for several days, weeks, or more.

In February 2022, a study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change, wherein scientists concluded there was a "megadrought" that lasted for more than 1,000 years in southwestern North America. This came after researchers measured the soil moisture deficit across the region from 2000 to 2018.