ASTI – “It was a very rainy spring. We hope that with the month of June and the beginning of summer the good weather and the sun will return so that we can save even a part of a rather compromised season”, is the hope of the agricultural companies associated with the Confagricoltura of Asti. Asti businesses have also suffered the effects of adverse weather conditions: heavy rain, wind and hail have caused heavy consequences on crops, first and foremost on vegetable cultivation, livestock farming and beekeeping.
Damage from bad weather
Rainfall in April and May caused flooding that is delaying corn and soybean planting operations. However, where this operation has already taken place, in many cases cases of seed asphyxiation or problems linked to the presence of fungi affecting the root system are appearing. Furthermore, incursions by wild animals continue, resulting in damage to the seeds.
For many plots it will be necessary to reseed with a significant increase in costs for seeds, weeding, fertilization and fuel. The problem remains of the accessibility of the fields to carry out the work, as to date both the water saturation of the land and the weather forecasts do not allow the operations.
Considerable problems and difficulties also occurred on stable meadows and shredded grass: the continuous rains stopped haymaking, delaying mowing operations; grasses and legumes are in great difficulty.
As regards autumn-winter cereals, the bad weather has caused the presence of fungi and in some areas there is the risk of downgrading for strong grains which will not be able to respect the required parameters.
The problem of meadows and arable land also has repercussions in the world of livestock farming as there is a shortage of cereals which are present in the feed essential for feeding animals.
They register significant problems also for beekeeping, a sector that has been in severe crisis for several years now. For this year, a reduction in production of around 75%/80% is expected, with the flowering of the acacia having been completely lost.
Even in hazelnut groves, persistent rains have caused water stagnation and therefore root asphyxiation.
And finally viticulture: the main sector in the Asti area is experiencing major problems due to adverse weather conditions. In fact, there has been an increase in vine parasites including downy mildew. All this can therefore cause a reduction in production of 20% to 40%.
Adequate refreshments will be needed
“It is a truly worrying situation for our farmers who in recent years have had to face multiple critical issues linked to an anomalous climate”, states Enrico Masenga, coordinator of the technical sector of Asti Agricoltura: “rain, if accompanied by extreme atmospheric phenomena, like hail and strong winds, it represents a far more serious and compromising threat than the drought itself.”
“We are faced with adverse phenomena caused by temperatures below the seasonal average which are the reconfirmation of climate changes that are increasingly commonplace”, declares the director of Asti Agricoltura Mariagrazia Baravalle, “for this reason, in the event that should this situation persist, we will ask the institutions to take into consideration the recognition of the damages suffered with adequate compensation for the companies affected by these adversities”
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