The rain has done damage in our country. But it was also eagerly awaited by farmers. However, was it enough to “fix” the drought problems we have been talking about for some time? Are cultures still in danger? Farmers hope the rain will continue to fall steadily.
In Bovesse, in the Namur region, Marianne’s 4 hectares of chicory cultivation are experiencing damage due to periods of drought in recent weeks. The surfaces are brown… The earth is left without plants, because they have not developed there.
On the ground, the leaves are shorter than normal. “Here we have a very small one, alongside chicory which is larger. And then, here, a rather average one”notes this farmer and president of the Walloon Federation of Agriculture.
The readings in Uccle count 58 liters of water that has fallen per m2 over the past two weeks. The situation varies according to the regions of the country, but the rain rejoices the agricultural world. “Overall, both for the crops and for our meadows, it was important that it rains and that, in fact, it breaks a little bit the effects that were strongly felt by the drought”she explains.
After these images of dry and cracked land, this precipitation instills hope and could save the cereals. It is difficult to anticipate possible yield losses linked to drought. But for some crops, such as chicory, potatoes or beets, the next few weeks will be crucial. “We should continue to have water on a regular basis. And nature should try to catch up on the delay it has taken”hopes this farmer.
In the prairie, there is another victim of drought: the grass, which still needs rain. Farmers are therefore expecting rainfall, but not storms that cause damage.