Reservoir levels in major Spanish fruit and vegetable-growing regions are at worryingly low levels, having declined substantially since last year. 

The situation in the Andalusia, Castilla La Mancha, Valencia and Castilla Leon is now critical, with unusually high temperatures and relatively little rainfall over recent months.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, the total amount of water in the Andalusia reservoirs is 4,373 cubic hectometres (hm³), compared to 5,955hm³ last year and the 10-year average of 6,504hm³.

Castilla Leon has seen its levels nearly half year-on-year and from the 10-year average to 2,591hm³, while Castilla La Mancha is half of its 10-year average level at 1,061, and significantly down on last year's 1,596hm³.

In Valencia, the reservoir levels have seen a slight year-on-year improvement from 519hm³ to 582hm³, but they are still down on the 10-year average of 802hm³.

Andalusia, a large region in the south of the country, is the leading fruit-growing region by far, representing 39% of national output, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. It also produces 19% of vegetables.

The central Castilla La Mancha region produces 20% of the country's fruit and 27% of vegetables, while the eastern Valencia produces 105 of fruit and 3% of vegetables.

Castilla Leon in the northwest, meanwhile, produces just 2% of fruit but 25% of vegetables.

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