Although April is known for doing what it wants on the weather front – at least according to Luxembourgish folklore – this year seems to be an exception. The sun is out, the clouds are sparse, and rain or snow have been non-existent.
In contrast to people’s general enjoyment of the favourable conditions, however, farmers are starting to worry. The beginning of the year was drier than the average reference period and fears are that if the weather situation does not change in the upcoming weeks, it will have a negative impact on the harvest.
The drought, in addition to cold nights, have thus been a burden to farmers.
According to the Administration of Technical Agricultural Services (ASTA), the months from December to March have been too dry, as confirmed by the four weather stations and in comparison to the referential period spanning 1991 to 2020.
January was the only month that was too wet for its average.
Marc Fisch, the first vice president of the ‘Farmer’s HQ’, the biggest agricultural trade union, has explained that the cold temperatures at night are even more harmful to crops.
“On the one hand, the spring yields have had a slow and difficult start, and on the other hand, the sown fields are not showing any signs of growth either. Thankfully, the rapeseed fields have started to blossom.”
Certain kinds of fruit that are already in blossom, such as cherries and mirabelles, have been suffering from the colder temperatures. One cold night could be enough to ruin an entire crop. Nevertheless, the drought remains a source of concern due to its varying impacts on Luxembourgish soils:
“It’s hard to say. In the areas around Roeser, farmers are happy that this year has been drier, since last year’s soil was extremely wet. They can finally access fields thatthey couldn’t get to last year. In Ösling, the situation is more dire. The ground is prone to letting water drain more quickly, which results in soil that is almost too dry.”
The extent of the situation depends on the amount of rainfall expected within the next two to four weeks. If it rains enough during that timeframe, nature has a chance to recover, says Frisch. It is too early for a nationwide panic, therefore the farmers have not contacted the government just yet. Even the winter harvests could yield a positive result. Fisch appeals for patience: “We need to wait. If we are graced with a bit of rain now, these crops can recover and it shouldn’t be a big issue. Naturally, the winter crops do not look well, but we need to give them time.”
The farmers have detected a trend in recent years. The amount of precipitation has repeatedly been lower than the longstanding average. Nonetheless, it is not that easy to switch to different kinds of cultures.
The vice president continues: “It is undeniable that climate change is advancing. We have to find out how we can transition from one extreme to the next, which makes it difficult to switch to other crops this quickly. Last year we talked about an extremely wet year, and the year before was a dry one.”
Considering these recent observations, the agricultural sector is open to adapting to climate change. For one, they have sought inspiration from forestry. Forest workers are continuously planting tree types that are more resilient to the new climate conditions.
