Farmers fear for crops as summer heat continues
This summer’s hot and dry weather has German farmers fearing for the health of their harvest, president of the National Union of Farmers (DBV) said on Friday.
“We’re expecting the worst,” Gerd Sonnleitner told daily Ruhr Nachrichten. “If the weather forecasts are right we have to prepare for major damage to harvests. Then we expect very negative affects on earnings.”
Regions with sandy soil in eastern and northern Germany will suffer the most, Sonnleitner said. But some areas in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are managing a bit better and “look relatively good,” he added.
In a normal year Germany would harvest some 47 million tonnes of grain, but if the scorching weather continues, this won’t happen, Sonnleitner warned.
The wet, cold spring came late this year after a long winter, making the summer heat even more damaging, but farmers will wait a few more weeks before calling for state aid, the paper said.
But the next 10 days are expected to bring record heat and sunshine to the country, creating a dangerous situation for grain crops in particular.
“With that the grain in the fields can just burn away,” Sonnleitner said.
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“We’re expecting the worst,” Gerd Sonnleitner told daily Ruhr Nachrichten. “If the weather forecasts are right we have to prepare for major damage to harvests. Then we expect very negative affects on earnings.”
Regions with sandy soil in eastern and northern Germany will suffer the most, Sonnleitner said. But some areas in the southern states of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are managing a bit better and “look relatively good,” he added.
In a normal year Germany would harvest some 47 million tonnes of grain, but if the scorching weather continues, this won’t happen, Sonnleitner warned.
The wet, cold spring came late this year after a long winter, making the summer heat even more damaging, but farmers will wait a few more weeks before calling for state aid, the paper said.
But the next 10 days are expected to bring record heat and sunshine to the country, creating a dangerous situation for grain crops in particular.
“With that the grain in the fields can just burn away,” Sonnleitner said.
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