Cereal producers and farmers hope for rain

Farmers and grain producers are hoping for rain for these days. If the land that is currently desiccated is wet soon, crop damage should remain contained.

In the past month, it has had very little or no rain in many parts of Switzerland. Sun, heat and wind have dried up the floors. Several cantons including Valais, Vaud and Jura have already warned, or decreed prohibitions to make fire because of the danger of forest fire.

For agriculture, the situation is not yet dramatic, writes the German agricultural information service (LID) in a statement released on Friday. But if the rain is still late, it could become critical, especially for cereal crops.

Planting of maize has started in recent days. “The soil still contains enough moisture to allow germination,” says Pierre-Yves Perrin, director of the Swiss Federation of Cereal Producers. He expects precipitation in the next ten days.

Cereal and rapeseed crops are also relatively tolerant of drought at the moment. But rain within two weeks is essential, says Sandra Helfenstein, spokesperson for the Swiss Farmers’ Union, quoted by LID.

Meteosuisse is only announcing scattered showers in a few regions for the weekend. And again a big kiss for next week. According to data from the EPFZ, also cited by LID, spring 2020 is the driest in ten years.

/ ATS

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