The front of hail, mixed with water, swept across several fruit-growing towns in Lleida this Tuesday, extending from municipalities in the Franja de Ponent. The size of the hailstones varied from a pea to a hazelnut in some areas, causing concern among producers.

Agricultural sector sources have confirmed that fruit damage is inevitable, with at least skin marks, even if the ice has not broken the fruit. The Associació de Defensa Vegetal (ADV) de les Terres de Ponent has documented damage in farms without anti-hail nets in locations such as Soses, Torres de Segre, Puigverd de Lleida, Artesa de Lleida, Miralcamp, el Palau d'Anglesola, Juneda, and Bovera.

This event is the third hailstorm recorded within the study area of the ADV Terres de Ponent during the current campaign. Unlike previous episodes, which were more localized, this hailstorm has had a broader impact, affecting several municipalities simultaneously.

Unió de Pagesos has also reported the presence of hail in other localities, from Saidí (Huesca) to Bell-lloc and even les Borges Blanques. Given the geographical extent of the impact, it is expected that hundreds of hectares of crops have suffered damage. The agricultural organization assumes that the hailstorm has affected all types of fruit, both stone fruit and pome fruit, at different stages of growth.