Heavy rainfall forces changes in grain harvest calendar
Emre Eser – ISTANBUL
This year’s heavy rains in May and June, particularly in Central Anatolia, have disrupted farmers’ calendars. Prolonged rains in some regions and sudden and heavy rains in others have pushed back the harvest calendar for crops such as barley and wheat by an average of two weeks.
Hüseyin Demirtaş, president of the Turkish Agriculturalists’ Association (TZD), said that very heavy rains were recorded, especially in certain parts of Central Anatolia.
“The barley harvest has started in regions of our country such as Çukurova and Şanlıurfa,” Demirtaş said.
“Now our farmers will gradually start harvesting in the northern, eastern and western parts of the country. Wheat will be harvested after barley. However, the continuous rains have changed the harvest date in most provinces in both Central and Eastern Anatolia,” he added.
Demirtaş also drew attention to the intensity of the rainfall.
“These rains cause the wheat to lie in the field,” he said.
“Diseases called yellow and brown rust appear. The harvest is delayed, and farmers are worried about the yield. As well as the lack of rain, too much rain can also cause damage. Climate change poses such serious threats to agriculture.”
Professor Süleyman Soylu of Selçuk University said that harvest plans in most regions have been revised for after Eid due to rainfall patterns and the high humidity as well as the rains that continued until mid-June brought fungal diseases.
“These diseases reduce the yield and quality of wheat and barley,” he said.
“But rainfall does not only have a negative impact; in some areas it can lead to higher yields. It depends on how much rain falls in each region. In arid regions, yield increases are quite high. Irrigation costs are also reduced for spring crops. In addition, the benefits for groundwater and dams are very important.”
Soylu added that such rainfall had not been seen in the Central Anatolian region for years.
“For more than 15 years, there has never been a year in this region where the rains were delayed this far,” he said.
“Sudden rains were very rare. Now, most of the cultivated areas are experiencing sudden rains. In particular, the number of areas damaged by hail is very high.”
Farmers in Türkiye are highly affected by regional climate change, noted Demirtaş.
“This is not a crisis for us,” he said.
“There is a solution to the crisis, but there is a climate change here and it is very difficult to solve. It is necessary to act and plan accordingly.”
With respect to the announced official purchase prices for wheat and barley, Demirtaş noted the recent increase in input costs and inflation.
“In this environment, the purchase price for farmers is not very satisfactory,” he said.
“In most regions, farmers are already forced to sell their produce to traders at prices well below those offered by the Turkish Grain Board [TMO].”
