Buena campaña del algodón en el Bajo Guadalquivir

The cotton season has been one of the best in recent years in the lower Guadalquivir region. The year has been atypical. In February, everything looked bleak due to the drought. Spring rains alleviated the situation but flooded the fields and delayed planting. With June and July cooler than usual, the cotton's phenological development slowed even further. Unlike the B-XII zone, with reservoirs and pumping stations, the Marismas Irrigation Community has a gravity-fed flood irrigation system that is less efficient in water use. But the cotton in the Lower Guadalquivir is already suffering from severe drought. The rain is preventing harvesting, and the humidity is causing fermentation that is hindering the storage of the cotton boll. Not all of the process is mechanized; treading is still necessary to compress the bolls. To receive subsidies for Integrated Production, both irrigation and the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and defoliants must be sustainable and environmentally friendly. Along with Greek cotton, Andalusian cotton is one of the few in the world that does not cultivate genetically modified crops. Farmers in the area sell their production to Coalsa, which brings together a dozen Seville cooperatives and alone markets a quarter of Andalusia's cotton, which is to say, a quarter of Spain's. Its cotton gin in Las Marismas, Lebrija, is increasing its workforce by 300 people to process more than 50,000 tons. All operations require meticulous attention. The significant socio-economic importance of cotton cultivation in Andalusia is strategic for the region. Andalusian cotton, to which Cádiz, Córdoba, and Jaén also contribute, is highly valued abroad for the high quality of its fiber. In 2017, 70% of production was exported to third countries: Pakistan leading the way, followed by Morocco, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Speakers: Francisco Reguera (Farmer), José Herrera (Farmer), David Beato Blanca (Agricultural Services Provider), Fabián Sáez Fuentes (Day Laborer), José Antonio Martínez Ramírez (Member of the Coalsa Board). [Land and Sea Program 1240. Broadcast November 4, 2018. Canal Sur TV Canal Sur on demand: http://www.canalsur.es/television/pro... Program blog: http://blogs.canalsur.es/tierraymar/] Director of “Land and Sea” & “Protected Space”: José María Montero Editor of “Land and Sea” & “Protected Space”: Esther Lazo Director: Sol Varela Production: Inmaculada Villalba Writer: Sebastian Mateos Assistant Director: Salvador Paneque Camera Operator: Abraham Sánchez Editor: Cristina Tabuenca Researcher: Pilar de la Torre Follow us on @TierrayMarRTVA Follow us on @EspacioCanalSur 04/11/2018