The Ronda City Council estimates a harvest of nearly 490,000 kilos of cork from its forests located in the municipality of Cortes de la Frontera, within the Los Alcornocales Natural Park.
The Ronda City Council has begun the cork extraction campaign in its forests, specifically in the 'Las Majadas de Ronda and El Berrueco' area, situated in the municipality of Cortes de la Frontera, within the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. For 2026, the municipal forecast is to obtain around 490,000 kilos of cork, which is approximately equivalent to 10,650 Castilian quintals.
The municipal delegate for Forests and Agriculture, Juan Carlos González, has been the one to announce these figures, highlighting that cork is the most important resource of the Ronda forests, although other resources such as livestock, pasture, and timber are also utilised. González emphasised the importance of this activity for the local economy and the maintenance of natural heritage.
The extraction work is being carried out by the company Óscar Rodríguez Fernández, which was awarded the various lots into which the tender was divided. This campaign is expected to generate around 1,200 workdays, which represents a significant economic boost for a region with a long tradition in agricultural work.
The cork extraction process is an artisanal one that requires a high level of specialisation. Cork workers operate in teams, using axes with precision to avoid damaging the cork oaks. Additionally, the transport of cork through the forest is assisted by muleteers and their mules, which carry the cork to accessible points for tractors, from where it is transported to storage and weighing locations.
In 2025, the Ronda City Council earned over 600,000 euros from the sale of cork extracted from these cork oak forests. Juan Carlos González highlighted that this work not only provides a considerable economic injection to the municipal coffers each year but also allows for maintenance tasks of the forests to be carried out.
On another note, the municipal delegate referred to the improvements being made to the area's roads by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment of the Junta de Andalucía, as part of the repair work for the damage caused by the series of storms. These actions help facilitate access to work areas and improve forest management.
The cork extraction is a traditional activity in the Serranía de Ronda, which combines economic utilisation with the conservation of the cork oak ecosystem, a habitat of high ecological value. For the local residents, this campaign represents an employment opportunity and a livelihood for many families, as well as a significant income for the City Council.
The extraction process will last several weeks, and once collected, the cork will primarily be used in the corking industry and for other uses such as insulation or crafts. The expectation is that, once the campaign is finished, the exact volume and economic yield obtained will be known.
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