- Title: POLAND-HEAT WAVE/CROPS Polish farmers struggle with effects of drought
- Date: 14th August 2015
- Summary: GARDEJA, POLAND (AUGUST 14, 2015) (REUTERS)? ?1. FIELD AFTER HARVEST AND PLOUGHING DRY GROUND TRACTOR PLOUGHING THE FIELD VARIOUS FIELD AFTER THE HARVEST VARIOUS EXTERIOR GARDEJA MUNICIPAL OFFICE GARDEJA TOWN EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) GARDEJA AGRICULTURE INSPECTOR, JERZY RUTKOWSKI, SAYING: "In our municipality of Gardeja losses due to drought for the spring grains reach about 50 percent, while for the winter grains they are between 20 and 30 percent." ?VARIOUS OF HARVESTER IN FIELD VARIOUS GRAIN BEING LOADED ONTO TRUCK (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) FARMER, MARIUSZ WIELGOSZ, SAYING: "This drought definitely affected my farm, it affected both grain plantations as well as crops of sugar beet and corn." VARIOUS DRY CORN FIELD ZAKURZEWO, POLAND (AUGUST 14, 2015) (REUTERS)? VARIOUS HAY STACKS IN FIELD (SOUNDBITE) (Polish) FARMER, KRZYSZTOF KWIATKOWSKI, SAYING: "Pastures dried up. Mainly for animal breeders there is a problem with fodder and the maintenance of animals. I have to feed the animals with fodder that was put away for winter." VARIOUS COWS IN YARD VARIOUS COWS GRAZING IN SHADE UNDER TREES
- Embargoed: 29th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Poland
- Country: Poland
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA9GCQY54KBFZY45Q470VCA7GKX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Up to a million hectares of land could be affected by drought following weeks of record high temperatures in Poland, according to agriculture ministry estimates.
According to European Union estimates, in 2014 agriculture provided 5.4 percent of the country's GDP and land used for farming makes up approximately 60 percent of its territory.
Special committees have already been set up in 12 of the country's 16 provinces to estimate damages, mainly affecting crops and animal breeders.
One of the hardest hit was the Gardeja municipality, where drought generated crop losses reaching up to 50 percent.
"In our municipality of Gardeja losses due to drought for the spring grains reach about 50 percent, while for the winter grains they are between 20 and 30 percent," said local agriculture inspector, Jerzy Rutkowski, adding that more than fifty farmers in the area have suffered such high losses.
Current estimates cover grain crops which are just nearing the end of their harvest, corn growers estimate their harvest will show equally high losses.
"This drought definitely affected my farm, it affected both grain plantations as well as crops of sugar beet and corn," said local farmer, Mariusz Wielgosz.
Autumn will be the time for root crops, such as potatoes, and estimates are that losses will translate into at least a 20 percent increase in prices.
According to trade union estimates, the drought has also led to a 20 percent drop in milk production due to lack of feed and its poor quality.
"Pastures dried up. Mainly for animal breeders there is a problem with fodder and the maintenance of animals. I have to feed the animals with fodder that was put away for winter," explained Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, a farmer from Zakurzewo.
Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz announced earlier that the government will take measures to assist farmers who have suffered losses from the drought, with a program that will also include cattle breeders. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
