A request by Nerja Council for the Junta de Andalucia to provide grants to local farmers for the purchase of new agricultural machinery has, not unexpectedly, been rejected. The Council made the request at the end of August 2012. Despite his rejection, the Council intends to continue pursuing the matter.
One of the main arguments put forward by the Council for the grants was that without the purchase of new, expensive machinery, farmers were forced to burn stubble and agricultural waste instead of processing it properly. This, the Council argued, heightened the potential risk of forest fires.