ISSUE NO. 1633
20 - 26 October 2016
AXARQUÍA - COSTA TROPICAL YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
Fruit farmers put squeeze on thieves Gone to the dogs Water worries
By Matt Ford
A battle between farmers and an increasingly-sizeable army of modern-day scrumpers has erupted in Axarquia, as this year’s crops of mangoes, avocados and other subtropical fruits enter their peak period of output. The trade is worth €250 million a year to the province which has seen a sudden and marked increase in large-scale crop thefts. This has led five local municipalities to join forces in a combined effort to tackle the fruit thieves who are stealing hundreds of kilos a day. On Tuesday October 18, Local Police forces based in Alcaucin, Benamargosa, Benamocarra, Canillas de Aceituno and La Viñuela signed an official agreement to cooperate and co-ordinate their efforts to combat the fruit raiders. The deal is also designed to “improve public safety,” according to mayor of Alcaucin, Mario Blancke, who said there had been a recent spike in smash-and-grab raids on private homes in addition to the crop-pilfering. The combined team will also work closely with their local counterparts in VelezM alag a , p l u s g r o u n d a n d air-based National Police
A NEW tank has been installed on the filter of the water purification system in El Trapiche, Velez-Malaga.
Ecologists in Action filed a complaint with the provincial environmental board regarding water management.
FOLLOWING some adverse criticism and complaints, the Deputy Mayor of Torre del Mar and Councillor for Tourism and Beaches, held a press conference
to confirm authorisation and legality of the newly opened canine beach of Torre del Mar. The beach complies with all requirements.
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Malfeasant mayor JOSE MANUEL MARTIN ALBA, the infamous ex-mayor of Alcaucin better known as ‘El Calayo,’ appeared likely to re-
ceive a nine-year jail sentence during a trial which was taking place as EWN went to press on Wednesday, October 19. See page 5
patrols. The aim is to comb the region on a daily basis over the coming weeks and months, with the harvest set to continue until spring. Subtropical fruit has become a popular target for crooks due to its high profitability and the fact that large chunks of Axarquia have become dominated by the exotic varieties. Agricultural groups are also calling for citizen cooperation, appealing for residents to report any suspicious activity, and to ensure that any avocados or mangoes they buy originate from a regulated source. Many of the alleged bandits travel hundreds of kilometres before selling on their
Shop ‘til you drop THE Department of Trade in Almuñecar and La Herradura has unleashed a new campaign aimed at boosting local trade “to guide visitors outside peak months, and encourage them to visit and shop in our local market, where they can find quality products,” according to Trade and Tourism councillor, Rafael Caballero Jimenez. See page 6 ill-gotten gains, taking advantage of “widespread ignorance among consumers,” throughout Spain, the authorities said. Some farmers have banded together to form informal surveillance teams who work in shifts to watch over each other’s land, while trade union ASAJA has demanded that the Junta de Andalucia’s Interior Ministry designate a specialist outfit to combat the issue, as they have for Antequera and the Guadalhorce Valley.
The Junta’s delegate in Malaga has responded that it has already established a special device which operates from a helicopter at night, but ASAJA claim these efforts are paltry when a major crackdown is required.
Riding the waves A GROUP of 5th and 6th year elementary school students recently had a chance to go on an excursion and learn a bit about seafaring and local history. The children, who attend the Las Gaviotas School in La Herradura, were taken by bus to the La Herradura East Marina. There they were taught the parts of a boat, and how to make knots. See page 12