Central Europe is facing a high risk of catastrophic morning frost over the next few days, as cold air threatens extensive damage to agriculture across the region. Meteorologists from Severe Weather Europe have issued warnings about potentially severe impacts on blooming fruit trees, vineyards, and crops following a swift transition from unusually warm conditions.
England’s agricultural sector is facing a crisis as one of the wettest winters in decades leads to widespread flooding, destroying thousands of acres of crops and placing significant financial pressure on farmers. The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) conference has put flooding at the top of its agenda, with farmers across the country reporting catastrophic losses.
The British Columbia wine industry is bracing for unprecedented crop losses due to an extreme cold event in January 2024, with preliminary estimates forecasting a production decrease of 97 – 99%, resulting in industry-wide revenue losses between $440 – 445 million.
Entire crops were lost and farmlands inundated as Storm Babet struck Scotland between October 19 and 22, 2023. The River Esk in Brechin overflowed its 3.8 m (12.5 feet) high flood walls, leading to unprecedented flooding in areas like Angus and Perthshire.
In a significant blow to Valencia’s agricultural sector, hailstorms, winds, and rain on Sunday damaged more than 22 000 ha (54 363 acres) of crops, causing an estimated loss of over 43 million euros. The most affected regions were Utiel-Requena and Camp de Túria.
Tomato prices in India have surged by over 400% due to a widespread shortage caused by severe weather conditions throughout this year’s tomato season. The steep increase, which occurred in recent weeks, has made this common ingredient in Indian cuisine largely unaffordable for many low-income households.
Tropical Storm “Bret” decimated the majority of banana and plantain crops in Saint Lucia on June 22, leaving local farmers and the export industry in crisis.
From May 16 to 20, 2023, severe floods and over 300 landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Northern Italy caused 13 fatalities and significant damage, with one person still missing and 36 000 people evacuated. This extreme rainfall event caused extensive damage to farms and rural infrastructure.
Nearly 500 000 people in Jiangxi province were affected by heavy rains from Friday to Sunday, May 5 – 7, 2023, leading to the evacuation of around 14 000 residents and causing an estimated 520 million yuan ($75.2 million) in direct economic losses. China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters launched a level-IV emergency response for flood control on May 6. Rescue operations are underway.
Rice production for 2023 is set to log its largest shortfall in two decades, according to Fitch Solutions. This severe global deficit is primarily driven by the ongoing war in Ukraine, and weather-related challenges in major rice-producing countries like China and Pakistan.
