Moldova frost crisis: State aid vital for sugar beet
The early April frosts, lasting about a week, severely damaged at least two-thirds of the sugar beet harvest in northern Moldova.
Farmers say sub-zero temperatures aren't unusual in spring, but this year's duration and intensity destroyed the newly sprouted crops. The country's largest sugar beet producer, with farms in the north, decided to re-seed the affected areas. However, this measure doesn't guarantee a full recovery of this year's yield due to insufficient rainfall and the forecasted summer drought.
Farmer Mihai Goncerenco, from the village of Mărăndeni in Fălești district, who has been cultivating sugar beet for years, reduced his planted area by almost half this year. At the beginning of April, about 80% of the plants had sprouted, and virtually all of them froze.
"We've encountered frost damage on our sugar beet every year," he said, "but it was usually for just a day or two in the morning. This year, though, it lasted about a week. The first time it was -4, then -5, and here in the valley, it even reached -6 and -7. Practically everything froze."
Agronomist Valerian Pîrău notes that sugar beet was first sown between March 19 and 21, when soil moisture levels were still optimal. However, after the early April frosts, the affected areas were re-seeded. Now, two weeks later, there's a risk the seeds won't sprout due to lack of rainfall.
"We took a risk," Pîrău explained. "They are now right between the dry and moist soil layers. If high temperatures continue, there's a risk the dry layer will deepen and the seeds will remain in the dry soil. Then, the plants will die."
Representatives of the country's largest sugar producer note that after farmers obtained only half the planned harvest last year due to drought, this year farmers' direct losses will amount to 65 million lei. In this situation, state support is vital for the sugar sector.
"We have already agreed with the seed producers and suppliers – perhaps they can offer some support for this batch of seeds. We will discuss with the parent company what we can do. But in this context, overcoming this catastrophe is impossible," notes Anatolie Gorodenco, a director at the sugar company.
It's worth noting that between April 7 and 14, temperatures as low as -5 degrees Celsius were recorded across Moldova. Besides sugar beet farms, the frosts also affected rapeseed crops and flowering orchards.
Translation by IurieTataru
