The cork exploitation in Agullana

The origin of exploitation of cork in the Albera region begins in the 18th C. with two land owners from Agullana, Mr Puig and Mr. Guinart, who were informed about French economy through a French newspaper that they received periodically, and who decided to imitate the exploitation of the cork as it was made in France. One of them traveled to France with a younger helper to learn how to make corks and returned accompanied with 3 French workers from a factory who taught some inhabitants of the village.

The first corks were produced in the middle of the 18th C. Many of the owners of the factories planted the cork oaks in rows as if it was olive or fruit trees. The disadvantages of the cork production in the Albera region were the following; to be an area exploited in excess, which would later on give lower quality cork, and the fact of not having a good transportation system like a train or a harbor nearby to send the production abroad.

Starting with 12 factories in 1842 with 280 workers, it raised to a total of 40 factories in 1913, with 600 workers. At present time there is only a factory operating in the village.

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