Drought and erratic rainfall patterns in Nakuru caused by climate change have drastically affected potato production and food security in Molo Sub-County leaving most small holder farmers reeling in huge losses.
As still more stormsdumped new snow onto California’s burgeoning snowpack, water managers, farmers and environmentalists gathered in Sacramento to discuss long-term challenges to secure a more certain water future.
The strong supplies of Florida strawberries could slow down soon. “It has been a good high-priced season until about when the Valentine’s Day pull ends around February 9-10. Then the brakes hit just as the volume comes up.
Unusually warm weather for March has set in Moldova since the beginning of this week. In the south of the country, the temperature maximum during the day approaches +15-17 degrees Celsius, which is 10-12 degrees above the average climatic norm.
The Catalan fruit sector is increasingly present in the international market, with Catalonia already exporting fruit to 114 countries around the world. Last year was marked by a difficult climate for sweet fruit, which accounts for the bulk of the Catalan production.
The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) calls for extreme control measures to stop the advance of theScirtothrips aurantiiquarantine pest, which has expanded both geographically and in the number of crops it's affecting since it was detected in Spain in 2020.
In Europe, this year's blueberry supply is way down. "It's a 'perfect storm,'" says Harro van Dam of Carsol Europe in the Netherlands. "The Chilean season ended earlier than usual, while cultivation in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain are far behind due to cold.
The green asparagus campaign is starting slowly in Granada, with limited volumes due to the delay in the harvest caused by the low temperatures recorded since mid-January. The drought in the vegetable's largest producing area is the sector's main concern at the moment
“We’re about 20 days ahead this year compared to last year which was quite a normal year. So we’re pretty much on the backside of the blooms now--the ground is warm and there’ve been some warm rains so there’s no stopping them,” says Ken Chappell of Chappell Peaches in Eagle Springs, North Carolina.
With moderate to widespread rainfall over central, eastern and southern parts of India from March 13 to 18 under the influence of an active western disturbance and associated induced cyclonic circulation, meteorologists on Saturday predicted onset of pre-monsoon activities that may lead to crop damage.
This year's Spanish strawberry season is undoubtedly unusual. "By now, we could write a thick book about it," says Filipe Ravazzini da Silva of Wilkofruit in the Netherlands. "This year's season has been highly erratic.
Rain and hailstorm continued for four-five days in several places, including Dhule, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar and Nashik. With “panchanamas” still underway, the crop loss figure could increase further, an official said.
All might look quiet on the agricultural front, but in the war between weeds and crops, weeds are winning.A new theory developed by University of Guelph researcher Clarence Swanton, suggestsweeds can alter crop plant growth by affecting light signals used by crop plantsto communicate.
Grape and other fruit growers whose crops were affected by the extreme cold weather in February will soon receive additional support to help them recover as Agriculture Minister Greg Morrow has announced $15 million in funding.
"In the cold spell before Christmas a lot crops were destroyed, but some like carrots and leeks the damage was done during the drought in the summer and volumes are down around 30%."
Unseasonal rains are likely to come up for central and southern parts of the country during next week. Scale and intensity of weather is likely to cause extensive damage to the standing crops over many parts of the country.