Storm - Farmers expect crop failures due to flooding
According to the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association, almost every farmer is currently affected by flooding or water damage to their fields. This is due to the large amounts of rainfall in recent weeks, the Landvolk Niedersachsen in Hanover told the German Press Agency. It is currently not possible to estimate exactly how many agricultural areas have been directly affected by flooding from nearby rivers or other bodies of water.
"Several hundred thousand hectares of arable land and grassland have been flooded," Landvolk President Holger Hennies told dpa. Hundreds of farms were also affected by flooding, "but fortunately only very few farms were so badly affected that stables were also affected and livestock had to be evacuated".
In the village of Hagen-Grinden in the district of Verden, several farms are currently surrounded by water. "Without the fire department, the THW and the farmers, nothing would have been possible here," said Hella Bachmann, whose family has lived in the village on the Weser island for generations. With their vehicles, the farmers are the only ones who can transport food, animal feed or power generators when the water levels are high. Around 100 residents are exchanging information about mutual flood relief in a WhatsApp group. "We support each other," said the businesswoman, who runs a small horse farm and a hotel. Farmer Heinrich Blohme even uses his tractor to deliver mail to the Weser island via the flooded road, as reported by the "Weser-Kurier" newspaper.
The flood situation has also worsened on the Hunte in Oldenburg. Here, four horse farms in the Bümmerstede district were informed by the city that there was potential danger and that they should ensure that their horses were evacuated in an emergency. Nadine Wilkens has already taken some of her animals to safety as a precaution, although no evacuation has yet been ordered by the authorities. "They're like our children," said Wilkens. Several horses are now staying with friends.
"The solidarity among farmers is enormous. Everyone is helping everyone," emphasized the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association. Only a few stables with dairy cows had to be evacuated. However, accommodating them was a particular challenge, as replacement stables also had to have the necessary milking technology. It was a stressful situation for the farmers who were particularly affected.
Pastures and meadows, arable land sown with cereals or rapeseed as well as areas with sugar beet or potatoes - farmers fear a total loss of harvest for many areas. In addition, the continuous rain has made cultivation much more difficult, said Karl-Friedrich Meyer, crop expert at the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association. According to Meyer, winter cereals, i.e. plants that were sown in the fall, "suffocate" when areas are under water for around ten days. Summer grain yields are also expected to be around 20 percent lower.
The flood situation is making the important beet campaign more difficult for Europe's second-largest producer Nordzucker. Although the harvest is almost complete in Germany, in some regions - for example in the Weser and Aller flood area - there are still some fields that are under water and cannot be reached or accessed, the Braunschweig-based company said in response to an inquiry. It will become increasingly difficult to harvest these beets in the coming weeks, said a company spokeswoman.
According to her, the moisture also means that the sugar content in the beet is not as high. The current weather conditions are also causing the beet quality to decrease. "This also increases the effort involved in sugar production in the factories and will have an impact on the result," said the spokeswoman.
Press release from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Agriculture dated 29.12. on the effects of the floods on agriculture
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- The flooding in Germany has led to water damage for nearly every farmer in Lower Saxony, as reported by the Hanover-based Lower Saxony Farmers' Association to the German Press Agency.
- The flood situation has caused significant damage to farms in Hagen-Grinden, a village in the Verden district, forcing the residents to rely on the local fire department, THW, and farmers for assistance.
- Holger Hennies, the president of the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association, stated that hundreds of farms have been affected by flooding, although only a few experienced severe damage that required livestock evacuation.
- The continuous flooding of nearby rivers and bodies of water has caused crop failures for farmers in Lower Saxony, potentially affecting several hundred thousand hectares of arable land and grassland.
- The flood situation on the Hunte in Oldenburg has led to the evacuation of four horse farms out of caution due to potential danger, with some horses already being sent to stay with friends.
- The THW, fire department, and farmers are the lifelines for villages like Hagen-Grinden, where they provide food, animal feed, and power generators when the water levels are high.
- The flood situation has worsened in Germany, with strong winds and heavy rain contributing to rising water levels and making it more challenging for farmers to cultivate their land.
- According to Karl-Friedrich Meyer, the crop expert at the Lower Saxony Farmers' Association, the flooding will potentially lead to a total loss of harvest for many areas and decreased yields for wheat, corn, and sugar beet.
- The flood situation is also causing problems for Nordzucker, Europe's second-largest sugar beet producer, as high water levels prevent access to some fields in the Weser and Aller flood area, delaying the harvest.
- The German Ministry of Agriculture has issued a press release about the effects of the floods on agriculture, expressing concern that the moisture and poor weather conditions will affect the sugar content and quality of the sugar beet harvest.
Source: www.stern.de
