Communication report regarding the incidences of drought conditions in Poland

The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute, in accordance with an Act of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development has developed the climatic water balance values for all 2477 Polish municipalities (gminas) and, based on soil categories, calculated the current risk of agricultural drought.

In the first reporting period, i.e. from March 21st to May 20th, 2020, IUNG-PIB stated agricultural drought conditions in Poland.

The average of Climatic Water Balance values, which are the basis for assessing the risk of agricultural drought, was negative and equalled -100 mm. The lowest CWB values in this reporting period, i.e. below -170 mm, were recorded in the Lubuskie Lake District. Values between -150 and -169 mm were also recorded in the Greater Poland Lake District. Low CWB values, ranging from -120 to -149 mm, were also recorded in vast areas of north-western Poland. Similar values occurred in the southern part of the Silesian Lowland, northern part of Krakowsko-Częstochowska Upland as well as in Polesie Lubelskie. Lubelska Upland and in the north of the Małopolska Upland.

The highest CWB values were recorded in the north-eastern part of Poland and in the south of the country: Carpathian Foothills, the Western Beskids, and Sudetian Foothills, where they ranged from -119 to 50 mm.

Agricultural drought was stated in the following voivodeships:

• Lubuskie,
• Zachodniopomorskie,
• Opolskie,
• Wielkopolskie,
• Kujawsko-pomorskie,
• Łódzkie,
• Lubelskie,
• Świętokrzyskie,
• Śląskie,
• Dolnośląskie,
• Mazowieckie,
• Pomorskie,
• Małopolskie,
• Podlaskie.

Agricultural drought affected the following crops:

• Spring cereals,
• Winter cereals,
• Strawberries,
• Fruit shrubs,
• Fruit trees.

In the first reporting period, from March 21st to May 20th, 2020, the highest risk of agricultural drought occurred for spring cereals. Agricultural drought in this crop occurred in 833 gminas (33.63% of all gminas in Poland), in 14 voivodeships, in the area of 10.14% of arable land. Table 1 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in spring cereals in particular voivodeships.

Tab. 1. Agricultural drought in spring cereals

Agricultural drought occurred also in winter cereals. It was recorded in 676 gminas in Poland (27.29% of all gminas in the country), in 11 voivodeships, in the area of 7.72% of arable land. Table 2 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in winter cereals in particular voivodeships.

Tab. 2. Agricultural drought in winter cereals

Agricultural drought occurred also in strawberries. It was recorded in 522 gminas in Poland (21.07% of all gminas in the country). Drought conditions were stated in 11 voivodeships, in the area of 6.54% of arable land. Table 3 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in strawberries in particular voivodeships.

Tab. 3. Agricultural drought in strawberries

Agricultural drought affected also fruit shrubs. It was recorded in 166 gminas in Poland (6.7% of all gminas in the country). Agricultural drought occurred in 5 voivodeships, in the area of 1.48% of arable land. Table 4 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in fruit shrubs in particular voivodeships.

Tab. 4. Agricultural drought in fruit shrubs

Agricultural drought affected also fruit trees. It was recorded in 7 gminas in Poland (0.28% of all gminas in the country). Drought occurred in 1 voivodeship, in the area of 0.03% of arable land. Table 5 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in fruit trees.

Tab. 5. Agricultural drought in fruit trees

March was very warm this year in the majority of the country. The highest temperatures were recorded in the south-western part of the country and in the Sandomierz Basin, reaching above 6°C (exceeding the multiannual norm of 1981-2010 by 1-2°C). The lowest temperatures occurred in the north-eastern part of Poland, ranging from 3 to 4°C, yet still exceeding the multiannual norm by 2-3°C. Whereas in the third decade covered by the Agricultural Drought Monitoring System it was cold, with temperatures ranging from 2 to 3°C in the vast majority of the country, and even colder in the north-east and south-west with temperatures between 0 and 2°C, and below 0°C in the Carpathian Foothills.

April was warm, with temperatures ranging from 6 to more than 10°C. The highest values were recorded in the south-western part of the country (from 9 to more than 10°C, which exceeded the norm by 1 to more than 1.5°C). The further north-east, the lower was the temperature, ranging between 6 to 8°C. In the vast areas of the country temperatures in April exceeded the multiannual norm by 0.5 to 1°C. The sunshine duration was considerable in this month as well, reaching even more than 300h in the southern part of the country, which is 100% more than the multiannual norm %, and more than 270h in north-eastern regions, which is 70% more than the norm. Such solar-thermal conditions led to exceptionally high evapotranspiration.

In the first decade of May, in the vast areas of the country temperatures ranged from 11 to 13°C. It was colder in the north and in the south of Poland, with temperatures between 9 and 11°C, and even lower in the Carpathian Foothills: only 8-9°C. In the second decade of the month it was still cool in the majority of areas, with temperatures falling between 9 and 10.5°C. The lowest temperatures were recorded in the northern regions, with values ranging between 8 and 9°C, and the highest in the south-western part of Poland and the Sandomierz Basin: from 11°C to more than 11.5°C.

In the third decade of March precipitation was scarce throughout the country, or even none. Only in Kaszuby rainfalls reached 5-10 mm. Similar precipitation values were recorded in the southernmost part of the country, in some areas reaching 10 to 15 mm.

In April precipitation remained scarce, particularly in the north of Poland (below 10 mm) where it constituted from below 10 to 20% of the multiannual norm. The further south, the higher precipitation occurred, ranging from 10 to more than 30 mm and constituting 20 to more than 40% of the norm.

In May precipitation was highly diversified. In the first decade of the month the highest precipitation values were recorded in the east of Poland, ranging from 20 to 50 mm, with the exception of Podlasie, where they ranged from 10 to 20 mm. Similar values were recorded in the vast majority of the country. The lowest precipitation, between 5 and 10 mm, occurred in the north-western part of Poland. In the second decade of May precipitation was still very little, from 5 to 15 mm. Similar values were recorded in the following voivodeships: lubelskie, świętokrzyskie, śląskie and opolskie. Relatively intense rainfalls (15-35 mm) occurred in the area extending from Sudety, through the Silesian, Greater Poland, and Masovian Lowlands, to the Masurian Lake District. In this period, the highest precipitation occurred in the north-eastern part of the country, reaching from 35 to more than 50 mm.

As stated by IUNG-PIB, water deficiency in crops ranging from -120 to -179 mm occurred in the majority of areas in Poland. Lack of sufficient rainfall, especially in the third decade of March and to a significant extent in April, resulted in a considerable water deficiency in soil, which negatively affected winter crops, strawberries and fruit shrubs, in particular those growing on light and very light soils. Water deficiency in weak soils was also detrimental to spring crops, resulting in poor emergence of crops.

According to the current weather conditions, yield reduction by at least 20% at municipality (gmina) level, in relation to the yield obtained in average weather conditions, caused by water shortage, occurred in: spring and winter cereals, strawberries, fruit shrubs and trees.

Executive Director

Prof. dr hab. Wiesław Oleszek

Report prepared by: Dr hab. Andrzej Doroszewski, prof. IUNG-PIB, Dr hab. Rafał Pudełko, Dr Katarzyna Żyłowska, Dr Jan Jadczyszyn, Mgr Piotr Koza, Mgr Elżbieta Wróblewska