Damage especially to arable land, horticulture and vineyards. Landslides on the hills. Within ten days of the calamitous event, a request for compensation for damages can be made to the Agricat fund
Nothing compared to the flood that hit Romagna just a year ago, but the heavy rains that fell in Northern Italy between Tuesday and Wednesday caused extensive damage to the primary sector in Lombardy, upper Emilia and Veneto. According to an analysis by Coldiretti on Eswd data, there are sixty-two extreme events, including cloudbursts, hailstorms and windstorms that have hit Northern Italy in recent days, with hundreds of hectares of corn, wheat, soybeans and vegetables ending up under water, landslides and damage to vineyards.
The worst situations are recorded in Veneto and Lombardy. In the Padua area, cereal and vegetable lands were flooded, submerging newly sprouted corn, wheat almost ready for harvest, as well as newly sown soybeans and pumpkins. For a complete estimate of the damage we will have to wait for the next few days, when the water has receded. Landslides have been recorded in other areas of the region, with the earth having invaded fields and vineyards. In Lombardy there are reports of haywire sowing for corn and rice, with the danger of having to abandon it completely if the weather conditions persist. But there is also barley and wheat at risk of asphyxiation, meadows damaged by too much rain and tomato transplants blocked. Also damage to the production of fodder for animals.
Particularly serious situation in Lower Piacentina. Confagricoltura Piacenza expresses concern, in particular for the high-investment crop of industrial tomatoes which will see missed transplants, delays in planning and probable damage to what is already in the field.
“A damage also multiplied by the fact that the continuous succession of calamitous events inevitably increases the costs of insurance for the various crops” – comments the association which invites members who deem it appropriate to activate the application on the Agricat fund within ten days of the calamitous event.
Italy split in two
For a North underwater, however, there is a South still struggling with drought, in an Italy literally split in two by the weather. The situation remains serious in Sicily where farmers are no longer able to guarantee the feeding of cows and sheep, with empty feeders and drinkers. After the damage to the orange harvest, the drought is also devastating wheat, with drops of up to 70% in some areas. Wheat production is also decreasing in Puglia – continues Coldiretti – where drought is compromising 20/30% of the harvest in what is the breadbasket of Italy. And serious damage has also been recorded in Basilicata and Sardinia.
