Spanish Agriculture and Livestock: A Modern Perspective
Cereals
Cereals, intended for human and livestock consumption, are primarily produced in Spain’s drylands and increasingly in technically advanced wet or frosted areas. Key crops include wheat, barley, rice, oats, and maize. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) influences production through aid linked to output.
Legumes
Legumes, consumed green or dry and used in livestock feed, are often rotated with cereals. Production has decreased due to mechanization challenges and low yields. However, EU subsidies under the CAP have recently boosted cultivation.
Vineyards
Vineyards, primarily for winemaking and fresh consumption, are concentrated in regions like Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Galician Rías Baixas. Production is often characterized by the “mantilla” system. The CAP seeks to improve quality and market access through grants and incentives.
Olives
Olives, destined for table consumption or oil production, are mainly grown in southern and western Spain. Despite being a global leader, the industry faces challenges from higher prices and competition from cheaper oils. The CAP influences production through aid and quotas.
Horticultural Produce
Horticultural produce, for fresh consumption and canning, is grown in irrigated areas across Spain. Production has significantly increased, largely for export.
Fodder Crops
Fodder crops, used for animal feed, are concentrated in the semi-humid northern half of Spain. Production has grown since 1950, driven by livestock product demand.
Industrial Crops
Industrial crops, like tobacco, sugar beet, and biofuel crops, are grown in central and Mediterranean Spain. Sugar beet production, concentrated in Castilla-León, is linked to large-cap industries. The CAP’s influence varies, with less support for sunflower than cereals, and reduced quotas for tobacco and cotton.
Floriculture
Floriculture, focused on decoration, is primarily located in the Canary Islands, Catalonia, and southeastern Spain. While quantitatively less significant, it generates profits.
Traditional vs. Modern Agriculture
Traditional agriculture relied on polyculture, labor-intensive techniques, and low yields. Modern agriculture has transformed the sector, increasing yields and market orientation through mechanization, fertilizers, and techniques like mulching, greenhouses, and expanded irrigation.
Bovine
Bovine farming, for meat and milk, is concentrated in northern Spain, with intensive systems around cities and extensive systems in mountainous and forested areas. Milk production requires modern techniques and faces challenges from EU surpluses, quotas, and price competition.
Ovine
Ovine farming, for meat and milk (especially Manchego cheese), is located in Spain’s drylands, employing transhumance. Challenges include outdated farms, addressed through EU assistance.
Pork
Pork production, for fresh consumption and sausages, is concentrated in Catalonia, Extremadura, and Salamanca. Intensive and extensive systems exist, alongside native breeds. Price fluctuations due to surpluses and imports are key challenges.
Poultry
Poultry farming, for meat and eggs, is located in Catalonia, Castile and León, and Aragon. Intensive and integrated systems are common. The sector is sensitive to demand fluctuations, mitigated by market removal and export aid.
Livestock Transformation
Traditional livestock farming involved diverse species, smallholdings, and low-yield extensive systems. Modern livestock farming has specialized in meat or milk production, increased farm sizes, and adopted intensive techniques, decoupling production from the physical environment in intensive systems.