News Drought 2018
No national irrigation ban yet
The scaling up to drought phase 2 has not yet resulted in a national irrigation ban. This is announced by the Ministry of Infrastructure & Water Management. Meanwhile, the European Commission (EC) is helping the affected farmers with an extension of the ripening season and higher advance payments.
Drought phase 2 (or code orange) is the phase in which a national crisis situation is declared. This means, among other things, that local water boards no longer decide which measures are taken locally, but that the national Water Shortage Management Team decides on this. However, it is not yet the time for a code red to be declared, which was the case in 1976 and 2003.
The ministry reports that a national irrigation ban is not yet on the agenda. If it remains this dry for the next 3 weeks, there will only be an intake ban around the IJsselmeer and the Markermeer. The KNMI also reports that there will be insufficient precipitation in the coming 2 weeks to keep the discharge of rivers and the level of the groundwater high.
They do, however, let you know that the chance of stir increasing in about 1,5 weeks. The KNMI predicts that the precipitation deficit will increase to 308 millimeters, which means that the deficit is higher than in 1976 (in the same period of the year).
Allowance to farmers
The EC has announced that they will assist farmers affected by the drought. Manure can now be spread (also from the Dutch government) until 1 September. "There is a prospect of an extension of the spreading season, but there is no pressing date yet. At the moment it is allowed to run until the end of August. From the ministry we are now working on the conditions under which later drove longer may be," said Marcel van Beusekom, the spokesperson for agriculture minister Carola Schouten.
The farmers may also deviate from the greening requirements, according to the EC. This concerns rules for crop diversification and Ecological Focus Areas for fallow land. This land can then be used for the production of fodder.
In addition, the EC wants to meet the farmers with higher advance payments. As of mid-October 2018, farmers will be able to receive up to 70% of their direct payments and 85% of payments under rural development. This is to improve their cash flow. The EC usually waits until December to do this.
No financial support
The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has announced that there will be no financial support for the time being. Marjolein Sonnema, director-general Agro and Nature of the ministry, said. The reason for this is that since 2010 there has been a Broad Weather Insurance is. "The government is making a significant contribution to this. We pay about €12 million per year, which saves farmers about 65% on the premium."
Anne-Jan Doorn
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