Spring Hailstorm in Aragón Highlights Growing Climate Risk for Southern European Cherry Orchards
A rare spring hailstorm has recently affected Aragón, one of Spain’s most important cherry-producing regions, causing severe damage to unprotected orchards. Losses in some areas are estimated at up to 40%, reinforcing a reality increasingly familiar to growers across Southern Europe: climate-related risks are becoming more frequent and more intense.
Aragón After the Storm: Protection Determines the Outcome
In late April, a sudden and intense hailstorm passed through key cherry-growing zones in Aragón. For open orchards without protective systems, the impact was immediate and severe.
Young fruit was heavily damaged, leaves and shoots were torn, and average crop losses reached around 40%, with certain orchards facing almost total loss.
“We lost in twenty minutes what we had been working on since winter,” one local grower commented.
Yet nearby orchards equipped with hail protection netting experienced a very different outcome.
Juan Carlos, a grower in the region, explained:
“Installing hail netting three years ago was a major decision, but it has proven its value. This storm caused no significant damage, and every season the nets also help protect against birds and excessive sun.”
A Broader Southern European Pattern
What happened in Aragón is not an isolated event. Across Spain, Italy, southern France and Greece, growers are facing increasingly volatile spring weather — including hail, heavy rain and sudden temperature fluctuations during flowering and fruit set.
These events are particularly damaging in Southern Europe, where:
- High-value fruit crops rely on stable spring conditions
- Export markets demand consistent quality and appearance
- Margins leave little room for large, unpredictable losses
As a result, orchard protection is no longer viewed as an optional upgrade, but as part of essential farm infrastructure.
Insurance and Prevention: A Changing Relationship
Agricultural insurance providers in Spain and across Southern Europe are adapting to this new reality. A clear trend is emerging: preventive action is increasingly rewarded.
Farms equipped with certified hail netting, rain shelters or integrated protection systems are often classified as lower-risk operations. This can translate into more favourable insurance conditions and reduced premiums.
Insurance specialists emphasise that protection systems are no longer seen only as post-disaster safeguards, but as active risk-management tools. For many growers, insurance considerations are now part of the decision-making process when investing in orchard infrastructure.
Practical Guidance for Growers
When hail risk is imminent
- Use overhead irrigation where available to create a cushioning water layer above the canopy
- Document any damage immediately with clear photographs and field records for insurance purposes
- Support recovery quickly by removing damaged material and applying appropriate foliar nutrients and fungicides
Looking ahead
For Southern European orchards, particularly those producing cherries and other premium fruits, integrated protection systems are becoming the most reliable long-term strategy.
Modern solutions combine:
- Hail and rain protection
- Wind mitigation
- Light management to reduce sunburn
- Frost buffering during critical spring periods
Together, these systems help stabilise production and protect both yield and fruit quality in increasingly unpredictable conditions.
Supporting Southern European Growers
Shengtao Agricultural Technology provides customised orchard climate protection solutions tailored to regional conditions across Spain and Southern Europe. From system design to material supply and technical support, we help growers reduce weather-related risk and protect long-term production value.
