In Rastislav Pucovski’s hand are soybeans, shriveled and the size of peppercorns. On his farmland, drought has turned the land into dust. Rastislav is just one of the farmers who are in dire straits due to unprecedented heat waves and drought, which had a very negative impact on agricultural production.
It’s harvest time, a month before the deadline. The corn harvest has begun, and the situation can best be described as catastrophic. Since June 6, when about 20 liters of rain fell per square meter, there was no more rain, and the temperature reached almost 40 degrees. Maize yields were reduced by approximately 30%.
Serbia, like most of the Balkans, experienced the hottest summer in history. The area where Pucovski lives had a brief downpour for the first time in 40 days – but it didn’t bring relief. The surrounding fields remained dry, the corn and soybean crops withered.
Farmers testified that, apart from the mentioned crops, the heat also threatens sunflowers and various vegetables. In addition to the drought, the heat has also strained the region’s fragile power grid and depleted key water reserves.
As conditions change, analysts expect a loss of over $500 million in agricultural income due to the drought. This has raised concerns about climate change, with the country seeing only the sporadic rainfall and high temperatures experienced by much of southern Europe.
The rare winners of this? Balkan winegrowers. They say that the warm weather has increased the sugar content of their grapes. And they harvest grapes earlier in the year than anyone remembers..
Beginner’s Guide: What are the necessary conditions for raising a VINEYARD?
It is so good that the wines from the year 2024 will be very expensive. This year’s yield will break all records both in terms of quantity and quality. Weather conditions were good. Vineyards prefer dry, warm weather to lots of water. However, they do not like it too dry.
What is the condition of your vines?
Source: Reuters
Source: www.agromedia.rs
