This year, crops in fields around the world are being massively destroyed by natural disasters: drought, floods, hail, strong winds, and even tornadoes. This could lead to higher food prices, which are already close to the maximum for decades. This was reported by Bloomberg.
Kyiv. Ukraine. Ukraine Gate – July 28, 2021 – Agriculture
Crops and, consequently, prices were negatively affected by severe frosts in Brazil and France, floods in China and Germany, and heat in North America. Excessive rains in Europe have also caused the spread of fungal diseases in cereals and significantly delayed the harvest.
📌Brazil
The largest coffee-producing country, Brazil, has experienced the worst frosts in 20 years. It hit the young coffee trees. The country is also experiencing severe drought and depletion of water bodies. As a result, coffee prices rose 17% this week and exceeded $ 2 per pound (2.2 kg) for the first time since 2014. The country accounts for about 40% of the world’s Arabica coffee crop. It is noted that these cataclysms will have a long-term effect and affect the harvest even after two years. Experts predict that the corn harvest in the Brazilian state of Paraná will be 9.8 million tons, which is approximately 5 million tons less than expected. Other regions have also been hit hard by the weather.
📌 China and Germany
In mid-July, bad weather befell the Benelux countries, when the harvest of early crops was in full swing. Many crops were simply washed away, some areas were flooded. Areas, where the rains have not destroyed the plants, have high humidity, which will not be able to drive the equipment into the fields, which will also lead to a significant reduction in grain quality and yield in general. Floods have also occurred in a key region of China. They hit corn crops and flooded pig farms. Now the flood situation can be contained.
📌 USA and Canada
Canadian farmers are in a very difficult situation – due to weather conditions there is a high risk of losing 50% of the crop, or even more. The heat and drought have triggered hundreds of wildfires on the U.S.-Canada border. This destroyed agricultural crops and temporarily blocked grain exports. As a result, spring wheat prices reached a maximum in eight years. The UN food price index rose for 12 months until May. It began to decline in June and stopped at + 34% compared to last year. This index measures international food prices.
“What happens in one part of the world ultimately affects us all. Some communities are already experiencing the horrors of climate change, “said Agnes Kalibata, a UN special envoy and former Rwandan agriculture minister.
It is worth noting that devastating downpours also took place in Crimea. Currently, the death of agricultural crops on the territory of at least 355 hectares has been recorded. Due to the weather, Ukrainian farmers have also been affected: the harvest of all fruits and berries was severely damaged, and the harvest of vegetables was also damaged.
Read Also: The Harvest Has Started in the Odesa Region
Source: Ukrgate
