Worst grain harvest in 35 years due to unseasonable weather, Denmark

An immense amount of rainfall followed by drought and hot weather has devastated Danish crops this season, making this year's grain harvest the worst since at least 1983. If you take it crop for crop, it’s the worst harvest in maybe 100 years, one expert said.

"The principal explanation is the extended period of drought, lasting from when the crops were sown until they were harvested," said Asbjørn Børsting, the head of Dafoko, an interest group within grain and feed.

Poor weather in the autumn of 2017, when there was a high amount of rainfall, is also partly to blame, said Troels Toft, section director at Seges, a research center for the agricultural sector.

"Autumn last year was tough, and lots of farmers sowed seeds in awful mud or were unable to sow them before winter," Toft said.

This year’s grain yield of 6.5 million tonnes is the worst in 35 years, according to national statistics keeper Danmarks Statistik. But Børsting thinks the situation is even more dire now because of how grain is dispersed today, CPH Post Online reports.

The figure represents a ten million tonne or 35% reduction in comparison with 2017.

"You can measure and compare using many methods, but if you take it crop for crop, it’s the worst harvest in maybe 100 years. It was extremely feeble," Børsting said.

Danish parliament last week approved an aid package of US$ 46.5 million for the sector.

Featured image: ksblack99