Paulo Novais / Lusa
Flow of the Mondego River, February 11, 2026
Producer confederations complain about the lack of support and consider the 40 million euros announced by the Ministry of Agriculture to be insufficient.
The floods in the river Mondego River and the damage caused by Storm Kristin is pushing losses in the agricultural and forestry sector towards values close to one billion euros.
The writes that the initial estimate of the Confederation of Farmers of Portugal (CAP) pointed to 775 million euros in damage, but was revised upwards, in the meantime, as the effects of the collapse of the dike of the Casais bridge, in São João do Campo, at the gates of Coimbra.
Two weeks after the start of the bad weather, losses are piling up: dozens of greenhouses destroyed, agricultural warehouses damaged, irrigation systems compromised and fall and winter crops submerged. Wheat, oats and rye are considered lost in several areas of Baixo Mondego. THE National Confederation of Agriculture (CNA) confirms similar numbers, warning that the approximately 700 million euros already declared do not yet include direct impacts of the most recent floods.
The Ministry of Agriculture announced a global support of 40 million euros to replace production potential, but the confederations warn of insufficient funds. The measure is framed in the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan 2023-2027 (PEPAC), whose available allocation is limited, with a risk of excess applications in relation to existing funds.
The condition of the Mondego irrigation canal could also have a knock-on effect on several crops. This infrastructure, which supplies approximately 10 thousand hectares between Coimbra and Figueira da Foz, it is essential for the sowing of corn, which begins in April, and rice, an emblematic crop of Baixo Mondego.
Storm Kristin also left deep marks on livestock farming. In pig farming, losses reach 280 million euros, with 285 farms affected, mainly in the district of Leiria. In poultry farming, losses are around 20 to 25 million euros, with about 80 thousand chickens died layers. Producers also report prolonged power outages, logistical difficulties and a significant increase in operating costs.
