Source: Ukragroconsult (Ukraine)
The floods raging in Poland are destroying crops and animal feed, reports Tigodnik Rolniczy.
“Heavy rains that have been falling in southern Poland since September 13 are destroying farmers’ crops. The rain is also causing flooding on farms. The border districts, especially Prudnik and Kędzierzyn-Kozle (Opolskie Voivodeship), have been hit hardest by the rainfall. Farmers from this region are already reporting losses. In the town of Byala near Prudnik, the Bialka River has flooded the fields,” reports the publication.
Christian Kubik, a farmer from Byala who keeps 40 head of cattle, said that the water has flooded corn fields, meadows and alfalfa, among other things.
The farmer admits that it will be difficult to access the field after the flooding and that the crop will lose quality. The rainfall will also make it difficult to sow grain, which could also affect next year’s harvest.
“The situation is very unpredictable, exactly a week ago it was over 30°C and the ground was bone dry, today the areas near rivers etc. are flooded. Most of the fields are rape fields that are being washed away or silted up. You can’t see the water in the corn plants because the corn covers it,” says a farmer from Bernatówka.
Farmers from other districts have big problems, like Jan Kempa from Olesnica, who has to dig up 90 hectares of potatoes.
“These are varieties for chips and potato chips, so the quality has to be very good. And if they lie in water for a while, they lose their quality. After the rain at the beginning of September, the starch dropped by 0.2 percent and this batch was no longer suitable for chips,” he said, adding that he was not making any money from grain this year, which is why he was relying on potatoes.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that the emergency financial aid would benefit those most affected by the weather. The provision of financial aid will be coordinated by the voivodeships, while decisions on who needs such benefits will be made at municipal level. The country is planning to introduce a natural disaster state.
“Polish farmers need comprehensive support from the state. I am asking Agriculture Minister Czeslaw Seckerski for funds for farmers affected by natural disasters,” said President Andrzej Duda on Sunday during the harvest festival.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski assured that the EU budget will provide funds to help Polish farmers affected by the floods.