On a flight to Almería some years ago, seen out of the window was seen a shimmering area that looked like an inland lake reflecting back at the sky. As we lowered, it revealed itself to be a mass of tiny shiny squares grouped so close together that it almost resembled a giant patch of snow. Patches of green were visible, as were small communities, but in the summertime, this will look dusty and dried up. This is El Ejido in Almería, Spain, a semi-arid desert and the driest region in continental Europe, with the region experiencing just 200 mm of rainfall a year.

Yet despite these harsh conditions, Almería has, over the years, developed into one of the most productive sources of fruit and vegetables in Europe.  It is sometimes also known as the ‘sea of plastic’ (Mar de plástico) due to the numerous greenhouses that cover the area that has swallowed up Almería’s Mediterranean plains. From the ISS orbiting overhead, the area is devoid of all colour, where sunlight rebounds off 370 km2 of plastic sheets, apparently equating to an area greater than the country of Malta.

Is this good or not?

The region, known as Poniente Almeriense, contains ten municipalities, where thousands of greenhouses stretch between the towns of El Ejido and La Mojonera, and is the largest collection on the planet. This man-made landscape is a result of an agricultural boom that has turned this arid corner of Spain into the fruit and vegetable basket of Europe.

I am not sure this a good thing or not. It must have done wonders for Spain’s fruit and veg industry, where intensive greenhouse techniques maximise output by harnessing the hot and sunny climate in combination with hydroponics - growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water solutions, and apparently around 90% of these greenhouses use an artificial soil, while the remaining ones utilize hydroponics.

I wonder why vertical farming isn’t used to make this area less of an eyesore? This involves growing crops in stacked layers and offers several advantages, including increased food production in smaller spaces, reduced reliance on traditional farmland, and the ability to grow crops year-round in a variety of climates. Hydroponics could still be used, alongside aquaponics and aeroponics, for soilless agriculture. Surely it wouldn’t be such a blight on the landscape? Pesticides are also used on these crops, which must increase health risks for the people working there, and have indeed been proven to cause some cancers.


Dirty Past

One can wonder if all this production is really as dirty as it has been painted in the past. Spain is currently the world’s third-largest tomato exporter, and just under 60% of those tomatoes come from the province of Almería alone. The shantytowns and dilapidated buildings in the region tell another side of the economic success story, and is a well-documented one of often dire working and living conditions for many thousands of apparently migrant workers who toil under this sea of plastic. On top of the acute social issues are environmental ones, stemming from the mass use of plastic.

After a gruelling 12 hours under a sweltering summer sun harvesting vegetables, workers are being exploited, lacking the resources to demand better working conditions, according to the Andalusian Workers' Union (SOC-SAT). Workers often work without contracts or social security and are generally paid below the minimum wage, with many being exposed to pesticides used in the vegetable growing process. Most were aiming for a better way of life, but many work illegally, often using rented documentation from those who are legal. Most build ’homes’ from wood and old scraps of plastic used in the nearby greenhouses, and despite the area being irrigated, many don't have running water and are unsafely powered by loose gas canisters and electricity stolen from power lines.

Is this the price we should pay for our lovely fresh fruit and veg? Personally, I think we, here in Portugal, should buy locally anyway – surely our own industry should come first. Unfortunately, it won’t stop the labourers in Spain from being exploited in a heavily degraded environment.

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan