After a particularly dry and hot summer, “the results of the harvest of summer crops are below the usual yields,” the Ministry of Agriculture announced in a press release on Monday evening, after a fourth committee to monitor the drought situation in agriculture.
Lowest corn crop since 1990
Maize would experience its “weakest harvest since 1990”, according to forecasts by the ministry’s statistics service, with 11.3 million tons of grain maize produced. In detail, the production of grain corn, destined mainly for cattle feed, fell 17.1% on September 1 compared to the 5-year average and 25.4% compared to 2021.
The balance of grass growth, which feeds ruminants, is also deficient: “while on September 20 the accumulated growth normally reaches 88% of the reference annual growth, this year it is only 59%,” the ministry said.
Compensation paid to farmers in early November.
To support dairy farming, especially exposed to the consequences of the drought and the heat wave, and the most vulnerable farmers, compensation will be paid “from the beginning of November”, an advance period “several months compared to the usual calendar”. . “.
Source: BFM TV
