Amur Region loses more than half its crops to flooding - AgMin
MOSCOW. Aug 19 (Interfax) - Because of heavy flooding, 504,400 hectares of crops have been lost in Amur Region, representing 57% of the planted farmland, the Russian Agriculture Ministry said.
Grain has been lost from 95,500 hectares of land (53%), soy from 367,400 hectares (57.2%), hay and perennial grasses from 38,500 hectares (12.7%), other feed crops from 6,400 hectares (30.5%), potatoes form 2,000 hectares (76.6%), and vegetables from 340 hectares (55%).
The preliminary amount of the damage to growers from two dangerous developments - flooding and over-wet soil - calculated at current prices is 7.894 billion rubles, including 1.459 billion rubles for grain, 6.354 billion tonnes for soy, 8.9 million rubles for hay and perennial grasses, 21.9 million rubles for other feed crops, and 49.9 million rubles for potatoes and vegetables.
As of August 17, in 12 of 18 districts in the region there was 66,500 hectares of crops underwater, 2,300 hectares on August 16. That included 12,900 of grain, 41,900 of soy, 10,400 of hay and perennial grasses, 600 of other feed crops, 635 of potatoes, and 68 of vegetables.
According to the early data, there was 440,400 over-soaked hectares, including 83,000 hectares with grain, 327,500 with soy, 22,500 with hay and perennial grasses, 5,800 with other feed crops, 1,300 with potatoes, and 300 with vegetables.
The ministry said that in the suffering regions have been set up commissions for determining the damage caused to businesses in the region, along with the collection and formalizing of documents for preparing an inquiry into the provision of assistance to affected growers.
The ministry said the flooding is preventing agricultural work from being conducted in full measure. "Early grain crops are being harvested where this is allowing by soil and weather conditions," the statement says. "Grain has been harvested from 14% of the land versus 74% at this time last in 2012."
Furthermore, "serious concerns are prompted for the laying-in of early grain seed - of the necessary 55,000 tonnes the region has 7,300 tonnes leftover after the planting of this year," the statement says. The seed shortfall could top 20,000 tonnes, as in a number of areas of sown barley and wheat has been observed a sprouting of grain on the stem and the development of crop diseases, the ministry said.