Europa: From seed shortages to soaked fields: A tough year for European potato producers
Potato farmers in Europe are facing tough times because of the impacts of bad weather and rising costs, as Timothy McGill reports in a news story published by TCD.
According to the report, this year’s potato season in Europe has been especially challenging for farmers there. The challenges they have endured include an insufficient seed supply to start the season, which caused seed prices to climb.
The weather then made things worse, with heavy rain delaying planting earlier in the year and has also delayed harvesting. Studies have shown that an overheating planet is supercharging the hydrological cycle, which likely is increasing the intensity of extreme precipitation events and raising the risk of flooding.
The European potato sector is expected to see a drop in production of potatoes this year, with forecasts suggesting a reduction of nearly 9% compared to last year’s yield.
“New challenges appear as climate change takes its toll,” according to the North-Western European Potato Growers.
“Heavy and constant rainfall during the planting season and summer led to plantings spread over a period of more than 10 weeks! This occurred mainly in Belgium and the southern Netherlands and less so in France and Germany. The majority of plantings occurred in conditions with poor soil structure. Important rainfall before, during, and after plantings caused one of the largest late blight pressures ever.”
Farmers are feeling the effects of this challenging year firsthand.
Source: TCD. Read the full story here
Fuente: https://www.potatonewstoday.com/2024/11/27/from-seed-shortages-to-soaked-fields-a-tough-year-for-european-potato-producers/
