Autumn harvest nears end in Békés County

(Photo: Pixabay)

According to data sent to MTI by the Békés County Directorate of the National Chamber of Agriculture (NAK) on Friday, sunflowers were sown on 93,613 hectares, the quantity of the harvested crop exceeds 187,000 tons, the average yield is 2 tons per hectare. Corn was grown on 63,670 hectares, 2,500 hectares had to be silaged, the average yield after 90 percent of the area was harvested was 2 tons per hectare. The yields reflect the impact of the severe drought – it was said at the meeting. According to Béla Barabás, secretary of the Békés County Agricultural Association, the quality of the sunflower is standard or above; due to the oil and water content, the processor gives a 2-4 percent compensation premium to the base price. Based on information from member farms, the current market price of sunflower is 195-200 thousand forints per ton. According to the expert, however, the average yield of corn was disappointing not only in non-irrigated but also in irrigated areas: according to their data, even with the application of 150-180 millimeters of irrigation water, they only achieved a yield of 6-7.5 tons per hectare, compared to the expected yield of over 10 tons. The purchase price of corn is currently around 70 thousand forints per ton. According to Béla Barabás, prices are stagnant, corn prices are going down, and exports have also declined. “The market for crops is stagnant,” he said. Farmers in Békés County sowed winter rapeseed on 15 thousand hectares. They plan to sow winter barley on 31 thousand 500 hectares and winter wheat on 110 thousand hectares, with 75 percent of the former and 50 percent of the latter completed.

It was announced at the meeting of the harvest committee that some farmers are waiting to sow due to unfavorable weather and soil conditions

Early-sown rapeseed fields were still able to utilize the late summer and early autumn rainfall, which ensured successful germination. However, due to the lack of rainfall in the recent period, the upper layer of the soil has dried out significantly. If there is no significant rainfall in the near future, the destruction of the crop is a real risk – the experts underlined. In addition, the field vole and wood mouse infestation is becoming increasingly significant, with vole damage in sorghum reaching 10 percent in some places, and its settlement in alfalfa and autumn-sown crops is also ongoing. Farmers were allowed to use vole killers until December 16 under an emergency permit. It was also stated at the meeting that farmers are trying to pursue cost-effective farming, using less fertilizer, and fewer and fewer are using metal-sealed seeds, which may affect the quality of the following year. The agricultural department of the Békés County Government Office has received 6,243 damage reports from 137,000 hectares, regarding 25,000 plots, so far this year. 95 percent of the reports were drought damage, two-thirds of them related to corn and sunflower.

MTI