brussels, 13 august 2015 - press release - unprecedented drought worsens situation for european vegetable crops european vegetable c
Brussels, 13 August 2015
- Press Release -
Unprecedented Drought Worsens Situation for European Vegetable Crops
European vegetable canners and freezers are warning that the situation
is critical for this year’s spring-sown, summer-harvested crops. The
warning comes one month after announcing concerns over drought related
crop shortages, and concludes that the situation for this year has
worsened significantly.
The intensity of the drought increased in July, with some regions only
experiencing 5% of their average rainfall for the month. A deficit of
around 60% of early summer rainfall has been recorded in a number of
the sector’s main vegetable production areas, whilst temperatures have
remained higher than normal.
Light spring rains in April and May, followed by the prolonged dry
period in June and July, have caused irreversible damage to the
majority of spring planted crops. Problems have been exacerbated by
high temperatures and strong winds, which combined to increase
evaporation rates, leading to reduced yields and crop shortages in the
North, West and East of Europe, for virtually all vegetable crops
grown for processing.
Concerns voiced in early July over potential shortages of up to 20%
for a number of crops, have now become a reality. Major problems are
reported for peas and broad beans, for which this year’s harvest is
virtually finished, and green beans, for which the harvest is at its
halfway point in Eastern Europe, where there is a shortfall of between
40 and 50%. Baby carrot yields are also well down, and even if rain
falls in the second half of August, the later harvested crops such as
cauliflower, broccoli and sweetcorn, will not recover from the damage
already caused.
Contact:
Aline Rutsaert
+32 2 761 16 56
[email protected]
www.profel-europe.eu
PROFEL(Europe) is the European Association of fruit and vegetable
processing industries. Over 500 companies affiliated via PROFEL’s
national associations produce each year approximately 2 million ton of
canned vegetables, 3 million ton of frozen vegetables, 35.000 ton of
dried vegetables, 400.000 ton of fruit preserves and 1 million ton of
canned fruit and compotes
Sources: Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, KNMI, Vilt
Avenue Jules Bordet 142, 1140 Brussels, Belgium- tel+ 32 2 761 16 56 -
fax: + 32 2 761 16 99 - [email protected] - www.profel-europe.eu - VAT
(BE) 878-357-665