As Serbia endures one of its harshest heatwaves on record, farmers are battling with drought, dying crops, and dwindling water sources in what many fear could be one of the worst years ever for the country's agriculture sector.
Serbia is currently sweltering under a relentless heatwave, with temperatures soaring into the 40 degrees Celsius and almost no rain for more than a month. Across the country, farmers are watching their crops fail and livestock suffer, as the agricultural sector faces devastating losses due to the prolonged drought.
In the rolling hills around Arandelovac in central Serbia, the impact of the dry conditions is painfully clear. At one local vineyard, farmers have resorted to hauling water manually from wells in a desperate effort to save young vines planted just months ago. But even underground reserves are dwindling.
"The last year was difficult regarding water, and it seems to me that this year the situation is even worse. Here in our region, for almost 40 days we have had almost no rain. The few drops that fell were like a light dew, not even a liter per square meter," said Dejan Radovic, a farmer from Arandelovac.
Wheat fields are also taking a hit. Farmers report harvests have been halved compared to normal years. Yields that typically reach up to eight tonnes per hectare are now just around four.
Farmers said that just a few decades ago they considered it a hot summer day when the temperature was just above 30 degrees Celsius, but these days, at the same time of year, the temperatures hover around the 40s.
From the air, fields in northeastern Serbia may appear lush, but closer inspection reveals severe damage. Corn plants are stunted, standing only about a meter tall when they should be twice that height.
In Lokve, farmer Dorel Stancu is struggling to protect what's left of his crop and livestock. Inside the cowshed, massive fans run constantly to keep the animals cool. But out in the fields, the signs of drought are unmistakable.
"I can say that it is very bad. No rain for almost a month and a half, the corn was almost completely burnt by the heat. It is definitely one of the worst years in my lifetime for agriculture," said Stancu.
While some crops like barley and sunflower have held up slightly better, many farmers warn that repeated heatwaves are pushing Serbia's agriculture to the brink of bankruptcy.
Serbian farmers struggle amid drought brought by relentless heatwave
Serbian farmers struggle amid drought brought by relentless heatwave
