Rainfall reduced by 35%! Drought in Sicily, Italy affects agriculture and animal husbandry
2024-08-12
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Italy, located in southern Europe, has a Mediterranean climate that is very conducive to the cultivation of crops such as grapes. However, this year, the Mediterranean region, like many parts of the world, has experienced high temperatures, including Italy. The high temperature and drought have had a significant impact on local vineyards in Italy. In Sicily, in the south of the country, this year's grape harvest has begun early.
In the Contessa Entellina region of Sicily, the grape picking work of the famous local winery Donnafugata started on July 22 this year, about 10 days earlier than in previous years. This is mainly because the higher temperature makes the grapes mature faster.
It is reported that from October last year to the end of July this year, local rainfall decreased by 35%. The drought and hot weather not only ripened the grapes, but also changed the development of the fruit. The grapes are not only slightly smaller than in previous years, but the skin is also thicker.
In order to cope with the drought, many vineyards in Italy have built rainwater collection facilities and laid micro-sprinkler irrigation systems. Despite this, the scarcity of rainfall still makes the irrigation cost high. On average, each hectare of vineyard needs to spend 4,000 to 6,000 euros per year for irrigation, and the average area of the Italian vineyard is 11 hectares.
The bad weather also affects the growth of olive and wheat crops in Sicily. Data shows that wheat production in Sicily will drop by more than 50% this year. At the same time, water shortages are also plaguing the local animal husbandry industry, and relevant departments are actively purchasing feed from other regions. Water shortages are also plaguing the local animal husbandry industry, and relevant departments are actively purchasing feed from other regions. It is estimated that local related losses this year will exceed 2.7 billion euros (about 21.2 billion yuan).
Editor: Dong Zhijie
Editor: Shen Peilan
