When we talk about lavender, the mind immediately flies to Provence but perhaps you don’t know that in Spain there is also an area where lavender cultivations not only offer a breathtaking visual spectacle, but also represent a deeply rooted agricultural tradition.
Let’s talk about Brihuega lavender fieldsin the Guadalajara region which, just like in Provence, in the hot summer months, transform into a magical place, attracting tourists from all over the world with their spectacular expanses of mauve flowers, perfect for sharing on Instagram.
But behind this beauty lies a very different reality: the local farmers, who have dedicated their lives to lavender, are currently facing a very deep crisis.
Drawing attention to lavender production in Spain is “El Confidencial“, who interviewed various operators in the sector to take stock of the situation, which is undoubtedly very difficult.
there is in fact a large disparity between tourism earnings and farmers’ income.
Since 2012, a festival dedicated to lavender has put Brihuega on Spain’s tourist map, attracting thousands of tourists. However, profits do not adequately reward farmers. The creation of events has involved significant investments and, despite entrance fees ranging between 50 and 70 euros, farmers continue to complain of being excluded from this economic growth.
— Tractorista de Castilla
(@AgricultorCast) February 19, 2021
Ángel Corral, president of the Lavender Cultural Association, is keen to point out that farmers live from the production of essential oil and that they do not receive revenue directly from tourism. Juan José Laso, president of the Provincial Association of Farmers and Ranchers of Guadalajara, speaks of the “anger” of many farmers towards tourism:
Those who work the crops themselves see how others benefit from their work, but they are unlikely to share in these profits. Furthermore, anger also grows when politicians come to take a photo, while farmers feel they are not being helped.
But why is Spanish lavender in crisis?
The crisis in the sector has its roots in the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted the lavender market. Before the pandemic, prices for lavender essential oil reached 40 euros per kilogram, making production highly profitable. But then, due to overproduction and lack of demand during the lockdown periods, prices collapsed to 8-9 euros per kilogram. This collapse has led many farmers to live in loss-making conditions, with production costs far exceeding earnings.
To make you understand better: maintaining one hectare of lavender costs around 1,200 euros per year, while public aid, established in 2017, only amounts to 155 euros per hectare, and it is clear that they cannot be sufficient, especially in a period of crisis .
Then there is the matter of synthetic oils that have started to emerge on the market and the crescent competition from Bulgarian producers which offer competitive prices. All this, of course, has further complicated the situation for Spanish farmers.
Faced with this crisis, many producers are seriously considering reducing their crops.
Good days. We are untangling, with the intention of trudging, the total practice of the Lavandín cultivation because for various reasons it has become obsolete. We don’t know if the sector will recover, but from now on the old planting is moving towards a better life. pic.twitter.com/DzOvTGE7s2
— Tractorista de Castilla
In short, the future of the sector appears uncertain.
While holidays and tourism may offer temporary relief (maybe a few more essential oils sell), the roots of the crisis remain deep and require long-term, sustainable solutions.
“Even though the fields are beautiful, it’s all a lie”concludes De Lope (one of the farmers interviewed), underlining the fragility of a sector which, despite its beauty and fame, fights for its survival.
