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Drought affects 2 million hectares of agricultural land

This is the fourth year of drought in the last 5 years in Romania

Aug 23, 2024 11:21 754

Drought affects 2 million hectares of agricultural land  - 1

Drought in Romania affects more than 2 million hectares of agricultural land, reported Radio Romania.

According to some estimates, approximately 40% of wheat, corn, canola and sunflower crops were destroyed, especially in the southern part of the country. This is the fourth drought year in the last five years (excluding 2021).

According to farmers' professional associations, farmers' losses will exceed EUR 1.5 billion. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Florin Barbou, announced earlier that farmers would receive aid of EUR 200 per 1 hectare affected. in 2024 crop drought. He added that in Romania it is planned to insure 7 million hectares of land against drought.

Farmers believe that some crops can be saved by irrigation, but the restoration of field irrigation systems has only started in Romania in recent years. The national irrigation system was destroyed during the out-of-control land privatization process that followed the fall of the Ceausescu regime in Romania in 1989.

„Currently, approximately 1.6 million hectares are irrigated in Romania,” Barbu said earlier. "We intend to continue investing in irrigation systems. For this purpose, we have already agreed with the European Investment Bank for a loan of "1.5 million EUR". According to the media, the country has 9 million hectares of arable agricultural land.

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