Ibiza's agricultural sector is facing another difficult summer, with prolonged heat, water pressure and changing growing conditions forcing farmers to adapt.

Toni Tur, president of the Cooperativa Agrícola de Sant Antoni, says the situation has moved beyond individual bad seasons and requires a long-term strategy for the island's primary sector.

Speaking to Noudiari one year after describing Ibiza's agricultural sector as being “in intensive care,” Tur said the immediate picture is somewhat better in some areas, but the underlying challenges have become more serious.

His central message is clear: Ibiza needs structural changes rather than relying primarily on subsidies.

Another Summer of Extreme Heat

The summer of 2026 has brought sustained high temperatures, including unusually warm nights.

According to Tur, this has affected a wide range of crops.

Vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, melons, watermelons and pumpkins have experienced difficulties when temperatures remain above 35°C.

At those temperatures, Tur explains, plants devote more energy to transpiration and survival rather than optimum production.

The effects have included problems with flowering, fruit development and ripening.

Tomatoes, for example, have matured particularly quickly, creating additional problems after harvesting.

Some Crops Have Performed Better

The picture is not uniformly negative.

Tur says the cereal harvest has been better than in previous years, helped by rainfall during winter and spring.

The algarroba crop is also expected to produce more than last year, although the summer heat accelerated ripening and resulted in some smaller fruit.

The 2026 algarroba campaign also began earlier than usual, with the heat bringing forward the harvesting period by approximately two weeks.

The Cooperativa Agrícola de Sant Antoni recently reported greater optimism about the algarroba harvest compared with 2025.

The Almond Tree Is Facing a Difficult Future

One of Tur's strongest warnings concerns the almond tree, traditionally one of the most recognisable agricultural features of Ibiza.

He argues that the crop is now facing several problems simultaneously, including the ageing of existing plantations, a lack of farmers, pests such as Xylella and the capnodis beetle, as well as drought and rising temperatures.

For these reasons, Tur says the almond tree is effectively “sentenced” in Ibiza.

The statement reflects his assessment of the crop's future rather than an official declaration that almond cultivation will disappear from the island.

The situation is particularly significant in areas such as Pla de Corona, where almond trees have long formed part of Ibiza's distinctive agricultural landscape.

Tur previously explained that almond trees were historically planted because they were relatively low-maintenance and profitable, but that today's conditions are very different.

Looking for Crops Better Adapted to Ibiza's Climate

Rather than abandoning agricultural production, Tur believes Ibiza needs to reconsider which crops are most suited to its changing climate.

He points to the carob tree as one promising option because of its resistance to drought and relatively low exposure to certain pests.

However, he stresses that younger plantations are needed if carob trees are to play a larger role in the future agricultural landscape.

He also identifies crops such as figs and pomegranates, as well as less traditional options including argan, as potentially better adapted to the island's current conditions.

The idea of expanding drought-resistant crops is already gaining attention in Ibiza. The Cooperativa Agrícola de Sant Antoni has recently highlighted carob as a crop with potential because of its ability to cope with the island's increasingly difficult water conditions.

Water Remains a Major Concern

Water is another central issue for Ibiza's agricultural sector.

Tur says aquifer levels have improved compared with the previous year, reaching around 42%, but warns that continued summer consumption could prevent a full recovery even if the island receives normal rainfall during winter.

His argument is that increasing desalination capacity alone will not resolve the problem.

He says Ibiza also needs stronger controls on how water is used and better enforcement of existing regulations.

Tur points to recreational water use as an area where he believes greater control is necessary.

The agricultural sector has previously called for measures including restrictions on recreational water consumption, greater use of regenerated water and reserving groundwater resources for primary-sector activities.

Desalination Is Not the Only Answer

Tur questions whether simply adding more desalination capacity can solve Ibiza's water problems.

His position is that the island could build a fourth, fifth or even sixth desalination plant, but without controlling overall consumption, demand could continue to outpace supply.

This reflects a broader debate on Ibiza about how the island manages its limited water resources during the summer, when both tourism and agricultural demand are high.

Adapting to a Different Agricultural Calendar

The changing climate is already affecting when farmers plant and harvest.

Tur says growers are increasingly bringing harvests forward, delaying sowing and changing varieties in response to higher temperatures.

That creates a particular challenge for Ibiza because the island's agricultural market is strongly concentrated around the summer season.

The largest sales period is July and August, meaning farmers cannot simply move production away from the hottest part of the year without potentially losing access to their strongest market.

A Good Grape Harvest

There are also some positive developments.

Tur reports that the 2026 grape harvest has been good, with more fruit and fewer pest problems.

The harvest has also started earlier than usual, with some producers already picking grapes by the middle of August.

It is another example of how the island's agricultural calendar is changing as temperatures rise.

The Future of Ibiza's Countryside

Tur believes the challenges facing agriculture are no longer simply seasonal.

He describes the current situation as one in which the immediate agricultural picture can appear better while the underlying circumstances continue to deteriorate.

In his view, Ibiza is dealing with a structural problem involving heat, water, access to agricultural land, ageing plantations and a shortage of farmers.

He argues that the response needs to move beyond individual subsidies towards a coordinated strategy for the future of the island's primary sector.

“Not More Subsidies, but a Strategic Plan”

The strongest part of Tur's message is his criticism of the current reliance on subsidies.

He argues that financial assistance alone cannot guarantee the survival of Ibiza's agricultural sector.

Instead, he wants a strategic plan that addresses the underlying conditions affecting farmers, including access to water and land, crop selection and the regeneration of agricultural areas.

His argument is not that support for farmers should disappear, but that subsidies should form part of a broader structural approach.

An Agricultural Landscape in Transition

Ibiza's countryside has changed considerably over the past century, and Tur believes another major transition is now underway.

Some traditional crops may become increasingly difficult to maintain under the island's current climate, while others could become more important.

The carob tree is already emerging as one of the strongest candidates for that transition, while other drought-tolerant crops could also play a larger role.

For Tur, the question is therefore not simply whether Ibiza's agriculture can survive another hot summer.

It is whether the island can adapt its entire agricultural model quickly enough to the conditions now developing.

The debate is likely to continue as Ibiza faces the combined pressures of climate change, water consumption, land availability and the need to maintain an active local agricultural sector.

Source: Noudiari interview with Toni Tur, president of the Cooperativa Agrícola de Sant Antoni