The Autonomous Community of Navarra has completed the extension of the first phase of the Navarre Canal with the inauguration of 6.9 kilometres of pipes, corresponding to sections Ega 4 and Ega 5, located in the vicinity of the towns of Cárcar and Andosilla. The President of Navarre, María Chivite, stated that ‘these modern, efficient and sustainable agricultural infrastructures will allow crops with greater added value and greater productivity’. In this context, the commissioning of this infrastructure represents a significant step forward for the agricultural sector in the region, which is the second economic engine of the region in terms of employment and wealth generation.
The work carried out on the Ega 4 and Ega 5 sections has included the installation of 73 hydrants, the construction of a drainage network and access roads to the plots, with a total extension of 22.7 kilometres. In addition, a 6-kilometre-long network of collectors has been implemented to evacuate rainwater and runoff from the irrigation plots, contributing to the sustainability of the infrastructure and agricultural land.
In this way, the irrigation systems of Andosilla, San Adrián and Azagra, which previously only had water concessions in winter, will now be able to count on a constant supply all year round. This not only improves the availability of the resource, but also significantly reduces the energy costs of the irrigation communities by reducing the pumping head. The most common crops in this part of the region are vines, almonds, olives, tomatoes, peppers, peas, sweet corn and green beans.
In this context, the President of Navarra, María Chivite, affirmed that the Navarre Canal ‘is a fundamental work for the future of Navarra that we are making a reality thanks to the efforts of the Government of Navarra, the Government of Spain, the local councils and the irrigators’. She also announced that ‘next spring, the entire Ega branch of the Navarra Canal will be in operation’.
Accompanying Chivite in the commissioning of this new water structure were the Regional Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Óscar Chivite; the Director of Irrigation of Navarre, Joaquín Puig; the President of Aguas de Navarra, Manuel Pérez; the Mayoress of Cárcar, Teresa Insausti; representatives of Andosilla Town Council; and the President of the General Irrigation Community, Félix Chueca.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AGRI-FOOD SECTOR
The agri-food industry is one of the main engines for the creation of wealth and employment in the Autonomous Community of Navarre. Specifically, its productive fabric has an annual turnover of over 4,500 million euros, of which 1,129 million euros come from the activity generated by the primary sector. Furthermore, agri-food represents the second largest area of the Navarrese economy, accounting for 5% of total regional GDP and 14% of industrial GDP.
Navarrese companies cover the entire value chain from the primary sector to the agri-food industry, including the two most important producers of frozen vegetables in Spain (Ultracongelados Virto and Congelados de Navarra), the largest cooperative cereal group (AN Group) or the leading company in Spain in salads and ready-made fresh vegetables (Florette) as well as leading multinationals such as General Mills, Gelagri, Mondelez or Agrozumos. More information on the following link.
Source: navarra.es