Drought devastates corn and sunflower fields in Romania

Still struggling after an intense heat wave, some farmers fear losses of up to 90% of all of their crops.

Transcript

00:00In Romania, the farmers who own land of sunflower or corn are devastated.

00:11The heat waves from July, when the temperature exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, destroyed most

00:17of their crops.

00:18Here in the land of sunflower, I can see that the plants are really tall, but they are dry

00:23and the flowers are really small.

00:25The farmers say their losses might reach even 90 percent.

00:30If in a good year, let's say, we were somewhere at 2,500-3,000 kilograms per hectare, this

00:37year we hope to reach 1,000 kilograms, although from what can be seen here in this soil, we

00:45certainly will not reach it.

00:47Farmers from Oltenia started harvesting sunflowers three weeks earlier than in previous years.

00:53The plants can no longer be left in the fields because they are drying out due to the drought.

00:58In fact, some farmers have had their crops completely compromised.

01:02It's a disaster.

01:04It rained, and now it's finally raining.

01:07And it's already raining.

01:09I don't know if I can get my money's worth.

01:11Approximately 300 applications have been registered regarding the calamities to the flower and

01:16corn culture.

01:17The cultures are affected.

01:19People are unhappy with the current situation and continue to apply.

01:24According to agricultural authorities, about 65 percent of all sunflower crops in Dolj County

01:31have been affected by the drought.

01:34Romania's National Meteorological Administration warns that severe and extreme droughts will

01:40persist.