Corn field labyrinth for tourists brings in half of farmer's total income

A farmer in northern Catalonia has come out with an innovative new way to yield profits from his crops.

Rather than selling the corn that grows there, he has created a labyrinth in the field.

The tourist attraction is now generating half of his total income from a field of more than three hectares of corn.

50% of the profits that Marc Pujol gets from the land that he has right next to his farm in Serra de Daró come from the maize maze.

Pujol says this income gives him "a bit of a boost," but he also laments the fact that he cannot dedicate himself exclusively to farming. "People don't mind paying a little more for recreational activities, but in relation to food, it costs a little more," he says. "This angers the sector."

Just before sowing, Marc draws out a labyrinth on paper and then grows the idea into reality.

When the corn grows, the maze becomes a reality, attracting plenty of tourists for two and a half months of summer.

Pujol believes the reality of his situation, a farmer making half his money from creating a maze rather than selling crops, "should make everyone think."

"We have had to reinvent ourselves, because with the cereal issue that we are dedicated to, it seems that people are not willing to pay more so that we can live on it," he points out.

Creating the labyrinth means having to adapt the space and make it different every year. This involves designing a route and putting attractions in it.

This year, participants must follow a game of clues distributed throughout the labyrinth and it ends with a game. "Every year we think of new things, until we run out of ideas," Pujol says.

The labyrinth attraction will come to a close in mid-September when the corn is harvested. "Then, our job is to sell it and get paid a decent price," the farmer concludes.