Junta blamed in row over 3,000 olive trees

THE Partido Popular has blamed the Junta de Andalucia for an argument between farmers and cattle farmers in La Viñuela over 3,000 olive trees. The farmers have been tending to the olive trees since 1997, and now they have been given to the cattle farmers.

The PP mayoral candidate, Alejandro Morales, explained that the Junta has failed to honour a contract with farmers in the area who were given the olive groves to run thanks to a concession from the water company ‘Confederacion Hidrografica del Sur’, but the concession has now been given over to cattle farmers for grazing, without the change in the agreement being communicated to the local farmers.

The Junta de Andalucia decided to auction the concession for the grove and gave priority to the farmers who had been working it for years, signing a five-year renewable contract.

But when they went recently to the plot, they found cattle farmers who told them that they now had the right to the land, since as the ‘Confederacion Hidrografica’ no longer exists, the Junta took over the lands and put them up for auction.

This has caused tension between the two groups, which the Partido Popular believes could have been avoided if the Junta de Andalucia had spoken to the farmers.

By Jennifer Leighfield

Picture Credit: kellycrull