July 16, 2025.—The most severe consequences of Saturday’s storm were concentrated primarily in the vineyards, olive groves, and almond orchards in the towns of Caudiel and Benafer.

The hailstorm that struck on the afternoon of Saturday, July 12, has caused severe damage to the farms of members of the Viver Cooperative, particularly in the Caudiel and Benafer areas, where losses are estimated at more than 80 percent of the crop yield on some plots. Vineyards, olive groves, and almond orchards were the crops most affected.

The hailstorm has severely damaged one of the vineyard plots that supplies the Viver Cooperative for the production of its wines. This vineyard is located in Caudiel, where Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are grown—though the latter in smaller quantities—across an area of five hectares.

Managed directly by its owner and cooperative member Agustín Pastor, the vineyard has suffered considerable damage to both the leaves and the fruit of the vines, which seriously jeopardizes the vineyard’s yield for this growing season. According to preliminary estimates, the hail has ruined some 25,000 kg of grapes, representing more than 80% of its production. The intensity of the hailstorm, concentrated into just a few minutes, has damaged the already developed shoots, creating a concerning situation just as the grapes were beginning to enter the veraison phase. The Caudiel vineyard is, in fact, a key plot for the production of “Viento sobre la piel,” the syrah varietal from the Cooperativa de Viver, which will see its production reduced this year.

In addition to the damage to the vineyards, olive and almond groves have also been affected. The situation has been especially difficult for veteran farmers like Joaquín Segura, an 80-year-old resident of Caudiel, who has 200 olive trees and was expecting “a bumper crop” this year with more than 6,000 kilos of olives, “but the hail destroyed everything. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”

Damage has also been reported, albeit to a lesser extent, in areas of Viver and Jérica, where hail struck walnut, vineyard, and olive groves.

The Viver Cooperative is already working on a detailed assessment of the damage and emphasizes the importance of having agricultural insurance to support farmers’ work in the face of these extreme weather events. “A whole year’s effort and care can vanish in a matter of minutes. That is why it is essential to protect farms,” says Paco Ribelles, director of the organization’s Agricultural Division.

At this time, it is known that at least one affected almond orchard in Caudiel was covered by the almond orchard insurance policy—a pioneering initiative at the national level— taken out last June by the Cooperativa de Viver and Engrupo, which will help partially offset the economic impact for that farmer.