Thieves have been raiding farms in the Axarquia, in one instance stealing €15,000 worth of avocados as well as a trailer.
Farmers have long been complaining about the increase in thefts from farms of both produce and machinery and have been requesting more police presence in rural areas.
Some farmers have been organising shifts of security patrols to try and limit the number of thefts.
In the past week week, three robberies in the Axarquia resulted in the theft of 50,000 kilos of avocados from four farms. The thieves are well organised, waiting until the end of the working day and then using dozens of vans to relieve the farmers of their produce.
Easily sold at €1.20 per kilo, the thieves could be looking at €60,000 for these latest thefts. Many retailers do not question the source of produce but are just grateful for its cheapness, making tracking the thieves more difficult.