A lack of rain after the driest winter in decades threatens to slash Spain's sunflower output, farmers said on Wednesday in the final weeks for planting. Most of Spain's 750,000 hectares usually sown with sunflower are in the southern region of Andalusia, central Castille-La Mancha and Castille-Leon in the north - where weather has been more favourable for crops. The fam ministry puts last year's total crop at 785,300 tonnes. Cuenca, a province of Castille-La Mancha, had the single biggest sunflower area at 158,000 hectares last year. Del Cid said end-May was the latest sunflowers could be planted.
In Andalusia, COAG technician Ramon Garcia said about half as many sunflowers as usual had been sown but the hot, dry weather could damage the plants. Farmers in neighbouring Extremadura were also worried.
After the driest November to March period since records began in 1947, Spain's water reserves stand at some 60 percent of capacity, the latest Environment Ministry data showed.
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