Drought to halve the yield of some tillage farms by up to 50%

TILLAGE farmers in some parts of Ireland are experiencing drought impacts that are at least as bad as their counter-parts in neighbouring European Union member states, according to industry analysts.

While some farmers in France and Germany are reporting output reductions in the region of 10%-20%, in Ireland, drier conditions so far this year are likely to reduce yield by up to half on some farms in the south-east and on the east coast. Parts of Munster and the midlands have fared better.

The Irish Farmer Association’s (IFA) potato analyst Matt Molloy said the south-east has been particularly badly hit this year. While farmers in the region are constantly watering their crops, they are still predicting that their yield will be down by half against last year.

While non-farming observers note that the drought has been far worse on the continent, the fact is that Irish tillage farming is based on an expectancy of high volumes of rain. That said, the drought is extremely worrying for farmers in mainland Europe.

Gerard Brickley, Bord Bia’s meat division manager, said: “Wheat crops across Europe are in trouble because of the driest growing conditions in at least 36 years. Europe’s wheat crop makes up one-fifth of global output, with France being the largest wheat producer in Europe followed by Germany.

“The smaller than expected crops may further increase wheat prices, which have already seen prices more than double for milling wheat in France (Rouen) compared to the previous year.

“The recent rain across Europe seems to have come too late as France begins its harvest in July and it has had its driest March-May period in half a century,” Mr Brickley added.

Early predictions suggest that French soft wheat production could slide as low as 31.65 million metric tonnes from 35.7 million tonnes last year, the lowest since 2007.

Similarly, predictions for German crops suggest it could fall to 22.3 million tonnes, down from 24.1 million tonnes. Recent rain across Europe may help crops avoid these bottom estimations.

Mr Brickley said: “It is not only Europe that is experiencing problems, with 44% of US winter wheat crop being rated very poor. This is up by 9% from last year.

“This is down to a drought in the US which is affecting Kansas in particular, the top US wheat growing state. The US Department of Agriculture forecast that Kansas would harvest 261.8 million bushels of wheat this summer, down 27% from a year ago. This also coupled with Texas and Oklahoma’s wheat crops being forecast to fall more than 50% because of the drought, meaning that the overall US winter wheat crop would be the smallest in five years.”

China is also having its worst drought in five decades. The Hunan province has had its driest year since 1910. Rice fields lie parched, and hydroelectric stations have had to cease operating. China’s wheat imports rose more than 30% in 2010, and look likely to rise further this year.