In the EU, 15% of crops are in critical condition due to drought

Around 45% of the European Union’s agricultural land is also well on its way to being in a critical state (Photo: Pixabay)

The persistent lack of precipitation and heat waves affect most European countries (apart from Hungary, including France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands), where drought is becoming more and more risky, BTA said in an analysis. According to the latest data from the European Drought Observatory (ESOs – EDO), in the ten days before July 20, about 45 percent of the EU territory was in a “Warning” state – this is the second of the three categories of dangerous drought. At the same time, 15 percent of the areas were transferred to the highest category, “Alert”, which not only means that the lands lose a lot of their moisture content, and the plants experience a serious shock. Forecasts for dry weather in August and September add to concerns about the previously critical situation. If it is confirmed and the drought will continue to intensify, it will have consequences for both agriculture and energy and water supply, European standardization organizations warn.

Agriculture is adapting

Some French farmers have been taking steps to deal with the drought for years by growing crops that don’t need a lot of water or resorting to other irrigation systems, Radio Franceinfo reported. In order to retain soil moisture, a black tarp and a mulch are used to prevent evaporation. Drip irrigation allows you to use half a liter of water per plant per day, and if this is not enough, a sprinkler irrigation system is used. This can save up to 70 percent of water, explains vegetable producer Pierre Bo. His colleague Vincent Como made a more radical decision: he gave up corn and grew quinoa instead. This plant does not need as much water, so they save 1000 cubic meters per hectare, and use less pesticides and less labor.

The only winners of the drought – the salt producers of western France

The only winners from the drought appear to be sea salt producers in the Gerand region of western France, who are expecting record production, Reuters reported. A temperature of 40 degrees Celsius accelerates the evaporation of seawater in the absence of rain.
Gerand salt is famous worldwide for its “Fleur de Sel”, which is a thin layer of crystals that forms on the surface of the salt collection containers and is also considered the finest salt on the market. In the United States, it sells for more than $100 per kilogram. In recent years, the average yield per pool was around 1.3 tons, but production now exceeds 2.5 tons, said François Durand, an independent salt producer in the area.

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