A group of German parliamentarians will begin a visit to Spain this Sunday during which they will travel to Madrid and Seville and gather information on the situation of the drought in the country and how this phenomenon and the intensive cultivation of strawberries affect the Doñana National Park. as reported by the Bundestag.
This visit was announced shortly after learning that groups of German consumers have started a boycott of the Huelva strawberry due to the consequences that its cultivation in illegal irrigation has on the National Park, which has led to a new confrontation between the central government and the Junata from Andalusia.
The mission, which will last from June 4 to 9, will be headed by the chairman of the parliamentary committee for the environment, nature protection, nuclear safety and consumer protection, the green Harald Ebner.
He is also accompanied by MEPs Dunja Kreiser and Michael Thews (German Social Democratic Party, SPD), Astrid Damerow and Volker Mayer-Lay (Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union), Linda Heitmann (Greens), Muhanad Al-Halak (Liberal Party) , Andreas Bleck (Alternative for Germany) and Amira Mohamed Ali (The Left).
The parliamentarians will address issues related to "water scarcity and consumer protection" during their visit, according to the press release from the lower house of the German Parliament, which recalls that Spain has entered its fifth year of drought and that the dammed water "is well below the average of the last ten years".
The drought affects farm income and the commission considers that the situation could also affect German consumers, since "close to 27% of fresh fruit and vegetables come from Spain."
The parliamentary committee recalls that the situation particularly affects Doñana, "one of the most important wetlands in Europe and one of the most relevant points for biodiversity", where it recalls that there are intensive strawberry crops.
"Due to the illegal withdrawals of water by agriculture for irrigation, especially for the cultivation of strawberries, Doñana -already affected by a long-lasting drought- is threatened in its existence by desiccation. This current problem is of particular interest for the delegation and will be the center of their debates", indicates the parliamentary commission.
The German parliamentarians plan to meet first in Madrid with senior representatives of the Government and later they will travel to Andalusia.
"As part of the visiting program, an intensive exchange of views will take place both with members of the government and with representatives of environmental protection organizations and farmers' associations. The delegation will also meet with scientists, representatives of political foundations and farms," adds the commission's press release.
