Well they might get themselves out of a depression a bit quicker if they reduced all their stupid quadruplicate paperwork and beurocracy, it just slows everything down, and makes most people give up in dispair!!

Precisely Bruixot, why read reports from a british newspaper on Spain reading the spanish financials would seem to make more sense

The real reason for the glut of derelict properties in Spain must surely boil down to a mass exodus away from the country into the cities for better paid jobs.I've just spent 2 hours grovelling around on all fours whilst locked in combat with vindictive carob trees,pulling splinters out and defending myself from dogs,all for what.......€2.50 hour after bags and fuel to the mill.Now even the Moroccans would find that funny.

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Hi Tim, I thought that's what the Cooperatives were all about, i.e. a united front for the growers (of whatever).  So how does that work then. ?  Your theory of supply and demand would indeed suggest the prices should be holding.  However, I gather that last year's low olive prices was due to gluts elswhere in Spain.
Unfortunately, I only have one Carob tree and it hasn't fruited the last two years.  I wish I had a lot more as the firewood is good stuff.  Shame they're so slow growing.

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It's an attractive thought on the surface but whether it would fly or not is another matter.  "are there enough of us out there ?".  I don't know if Nigel has a handle on how many of the members live close enough to Tortosa (in any direction) to make it viable and how many of those live on campo and produce crops (olive, citrus, carob etc.)
I assume you perceive the advantages as being increased buying power and sharing equipment etc.  One small/medium tractor with all the implements (including backhoe) would probably be more than adequate.  One big sprayer, one small (100L) would probably cover all requirements.  Maybe two or three trailers of various sizes.  Smaller stuff such as chainsaws probably wouldn't be worth throwing into the mix.  I wouldn't mind betting that a lot of the local farmers/finca'ers have similar arrangements.  It's hard to see how each guy with one field of crops could justify the outlay on such kit for the amount of annual use it gets.
Another advantage would be the sharing of knowledge and experience.
Possible difficulties.  I've had experience of trying to organise expats into a cohesive mass.  At the time of running a poll to guage commitment, there will usually be a big majority of "yes" votes.  At the time of calling on that commitment, it will usually evaporate at the same speed as gin thrown on a BBQ.  There would also have to be a set of strict, enforcable rules to govern use of shared resources and from what I've seen on this forum, matters of discipline    There seem to be more than enough squabbles on here which if translated into a physical entity could prove to be diasasterous.
For what it's worth,
Bigyin

Nobrot my neighbour salvador took 17 tonnes of carobs this year and still only got 20 cents/kilo and he is a hard-nosed guy who knows how to make money, so i think the price is 20 cents regardless of quantity.

Bigyin all the argumentative folks seem to live way upriver from Tortosa, (I think its something to do with the power station, makes 'em grumpy)  

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It would be good to see a map showing where we all are (unless security was a concern).  I'm south of Tortosa so I don't think the fallout drifts this far.  I don't know about grumpy.....it seems to make Tim very variable