The Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation – State Research Institute, in accordance with the 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 thirteenth reporting period, i.e. from July 21st to September 20th, 2020, the average of Climatic Water Balance values, which are the basis for assessing the risk of agricultural drought, was negative and equalled -82 mm. In the analysed period, it has decreased by 29 mm in relation to the previous reporting period (July 11th – September 10th), but increased by 18 mm in relation to the first reporting period (March 21st – May 20th).
The largest water deficit, ranging from -140 to -179 mm, was recorded in the area of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains, the Gryfice Plain, the Łobez and Łask Uplands, the Poznań Lake District, the Ina Lake District, the Woźnicko-Wieluńska Upland and the Milicz Basin. Considerable water shortages, from -140 to -159 mm, were also recorded in Żuławy, the Mrągowo Lake District, the Great Masurian Lakes, the Bielsko Plain, and the Uplands: Drohiczyn and Siedlce.
In the vast area of the country, the recorded water deficit ranged from -50 to -119 mm.
Based on the current humidity conditions, IUNG-PIB states agricultural drought in the area of Poland.
Agricultural drought was stated in the following voivodeships:
Agricultural drought affected the following crops:
In relation to the previous reporting period (July 11th – September 10th), the area affected by agricultural drought has increased for:
In the thirteenth reporting period, from July 21st to September 20th, 2020, the highest risk of agricultural drought occurred for rape and turnip rape. Agricultural drought in this crop was recorded in 770 gminas (31.09% of all gminas in Poland).
Agricultural drought in rape and turnip rape occurred in all the voivodeships, in the area of 4.55% of arable land. Table 1 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in rape and turnip rape in particular voivodeships.
Tab. 1. Agricultural drought in rape and turnip rape
| No. | Voivodeship | Number of local districts | Number of local districts at risk | Share of local districts at risk [%] | Share of the area at risk [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | świętokrzyskie | 102 | 91 | 89.22 | 15.08 |
| 2. | wielkopolskie | 226 | 151 | 66.81 | 14.09 |
| 3. | łódzkie | 177 | 96 | 54.24 | 12.73 |
| 4. | zachodniopomorskie | 113 | 56 | 49.56 | 6.07 |
| 5. | pomorskie | 123 | 51 | 41.46 | 2.63 |
| 6. | dolnośląskie | 169 | 69 | 40.83 | 3.13 |
| 7. | opolskie | 71 | 28 | 39.44 | 3.34 |
| 8. | kujawsko-pomorskie | 144 | 32 | 22.22 | 1.86 |
| 9. | lubuskie | 82 | 18 | 21.95 | 3.54 |
| 10. | mazowieckie | 314 | 64 | 20.38 | 2.07 |
| 11. | warmińsko-mazurskie | 116 | 23 | 19.83 | 0.31 |
| 12. | lubelskie | 213 | 39 | 18.31 | 1.73 |
| 13. | podkarpackie | 160 | 27 | 16.88 | 0.65 |
| 14. | śląskie | 167 | 13 | 7.78 | 1.54 |
| 15. | małopolskie | 182 | 8 | 4.40 | 0.02 |
| 16. | podlaskie | 118 | 4 | 3.39 | 0.09 |
Agricultural drought affected also potatoes. It was recorded in 440 gminas in Poland (17.76% of all gminas in the country). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of gminas affected by agricultural drought has increased by 384, which constitutes an increase of 15.50%.
Agricultural drought in potatoes occurred in 15 voivodeships in the area of 2.06% of arable land (increase of 1.93 of arable land). Table 2 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in potatoes in particular voivodeships.
Tab. 2. Agricultural drought in potatoes
| No. | Voivodeship | Number of local districts | Number of local districts at risk | Share of local districts at risk [%] | Share of the area at risk [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | świętokrzyskie | 102 | 75 | 73.53 | 9.14 |
| 2. | wielkopolskie | 226 | 107 | 47.35 | 6.53 |
| 3. | łódzkie | 177 | 66 | 37.29 | 6.50 |
| 4. | opolskie | 71 | 16 | 22.54 | 1.46 |
| 5. | zachodniopomorskie | 113 | 25 | 22.12 | 2.69 |
| 6. | dolnośląskie | 169 | 37 | 21.89 | 1.36 |
| 7. | pomorskie | 123 | 20 | 16.26 | 0.33 |
| 8. | lubuskie | 82 | 12 | 14.63 | 1.50 |
| 9. | mazowieckie | 314 | 35 | 11.15 | 0.64 |
| 10. | lubelskie | 213 | 17 | 7.98 | 0.66 |
| 11. | kujawsko-pomorskie | 144 | 10 | 6.94 | 0.38 |
| 12. | śląskie | 167 | 8 | 4.79 | 0.37 |
| 13. | podkarpackie | 160 | 7 | 4.38 | 0.16 |
| 14. | warmińsko-mazurskie | 116 | 2 | 1.72 | 0.01 |
| 15. | małopolskie | 182 | 3 | 1.65 | 0.00 |
Agricultural drought occurred also in maize for silage. It was recorded in 182 gminas (7.35% of all gminas in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of gminas affected by agricultural drought has increased by 112, which constitutes an increase of 4.52%.
Agricultural drought in maize for silage occurred in 13 voivodeships, in the area of 0.61% of arable land (increase of 0.46%). Table 3 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in maize for silage in particular voivodeships.
Tab. 3. Agricultural drought in maize for silage
| No. | Voivodeship | Number of local districts | Number of local districts at risk | Share of local districts at risk [%] | Share of the area at risk [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | świętokrzyskie | 102 | 54 | 52.94 | 3.37 |
| 2. | wielkopolskie | 226 | 46 | 20.35 | 2.18 |
| 3. | łódzkie | 177 | 29 | 16.38 | 2.17 |
| 4. | opolskie | 71 | 8 | 11.27 | 0.29 |
| 5. | zachodniopomorskie | 113 | 11 | 9.73 | 0.56 |
| 6. | dolnośląskie | 169 | 11 | 6.51 | 0.27 |
| 7. | mazowieckie | 314 | 11 | 3.50 | 0.07 |
| 8. | lubuskie | 82 | 2 | 2.44 | 0.10 |
| 9. | lubelskie | 213 | 4 | 1.88 | 0.15 |
| 10. | podkarpackie | 160 | 3 | 1.88 | 0.05 |
| 11. | pomorskie | 123 | 1 | 0.81 | 0.00 |
| 12. | śląskie | 167 | 1 | 0.60 | 0.00 |
| 13. | małopolskie | 182 | 1 | 0.55 | 0.00 |
In this reporting period agricultural drought occurred also in maize for grain. It was recorded in 120 gminas in Poland (4.84% of all gminas in the country). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of gminas affected by agricultural drought has increased by 72, which constitutes an increase of 2.90%.
Agricultural drought in maize for grain occurred in 10 voivodeships, in the area of 0.37% of arable land (increase of 0.27%). Table 4 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in maize for grain in particular voivodeships.
Tab. 4. Agricultural drought in maize for grain
| No. | Voivodeship | Number of local districts | Number of local districts at risk | Share of local districts at risk [%] | Share of the area at risk [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | świętokrzyskie | 102 | 42 | 41.18 | 2.37 |
| 2. | wielkopolskie | 226 | 35 | 15.49 | 1.24 |
| 3. | opolskie | 71 | 7 | 9.86 | 0.19 |
| 4. | łódzkie | 177 | 17 | 9.60 | 1.40 |
| 5. | zachodniopomorskie | 113 | 5 | 4.42 | 0.32 |
| 6. | dolnośląskie | 169 | 6 | 3.55 | 0.14 |
| 7. | mazowieckie | 314 | 4 | 1.27 | 0.04 |
| 8. | podkarpackie | 160 | 2 | 1.25 | 0.01 |
| 9. | lubuskie | 82 | 1 | 1.22 | 0.02 |
| 10. | lubelskie | 213 | 1 | 0.47 | 0.07 |
Agricultural drought affected also sugar beets. It was recorded in 59 gminas in Poland (2.38% of all gminas in the country). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of gminas affected by agricultural drought has increased by 56, i.e. by 2.26%.
Drought in sugar beets occurred in 9 voivodeships, in the area of 0.13% of arable land (increase of 0.13%). Table 5 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in sugar beets in particular voivodeships.
Tab. 5. Agricultural drought in sugar beets
| No. | Voivodeship | Number of local districts | Number of local districts at risk | Share of local districts at risk [%] | Share of the area at risk [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | świętokrzyskie | 102 | 21 | 20.59 | 0.78 |
| 2. | wielkopolskie | 226 | 17 | 7.52 | 0.58 |
| 3. | opolskie | 71 | 4 | 5.63 | 0.34 |
| 4. | łódzkie | 177 | 7 | 3.95 | 0.06 |
| 5. | zachodniopomorskie | 113 | 4 | 3.54 | 0.26 |
| 6. | mazowieckie | 314 | 3 | 0.96 | 0.04 |
| 7. | dolnośląskie | 169 | 1 | 0.59 | 0.02 |
| 8. | małopolskie | 182 | 1 | 0.55 | 0.00 |
| 9. | lubelskie | 213 | 1 | 0.47 | 0.01 |
Agricultural drought occurred also in legumes. It was recorded in 31 gminas in Poland (0.4% of all gminas in the country). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of gminas affected by agricultural drought has increased by 21, i.e. by 0.85%.
Agricultural drought in legumes occurred in 8 voivodeships in the area of 0.03% of arable land (increase of 0.02%). Table 6 presents detailed data on drought occurrence in legumes in particular voivodeships.
Tab. 6. Agricultural drought in legumes
| No. | Voivodeship | Number of local districts | Number of local districts at risk | Share of local districts at risk [%] | Share of the area at risk [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | świętokrzyskie | 102 | 13 | 12.75 | 0.29 |
| 2. | opolskie | 71 | 4 | 5.63 | 0.02 |
| 3. | wielkopolskie | 226 | 6 | 2.65 | 0.10 |
| 4. | zachodniopomorskie | 113 | 2 | 1.77 | 0.05 |
| 5. | mazowieckie | 314 | 3 | 0.96 | 0.01 |
| 6. | dolnośląskie | 169 | 1 | 0.59 | 0.01 |
| 7. | łódzkie | 177 | 1 | 0.56 | 0.03 |
| 8. | lubelskie | 213 | 1 | 0.47 | 0.01 |
July was relatively cool this year, especially in the northwestern and some southern parts of the country, where temperatures were ca. 0.5°C lower than the multiannual norm. In the rest of the country temperatures remained within the norm. The highest values were recorded in the south and southwest of Poland, exceeding 19°C. In the majority of areas, temperatures ranged from 17 to 19°C, only in the north it was slightly colder, 15-16°C.
August, on the other hand, was warm. In the western regions of Poland and in the Sandomierz Basin temperatures ranged from 20 to more than 21°C, exceeding the multiannual norm by more than 2°C. In the rest of the country temperatures were also high, between 18-20°C, and exceeded the norm by 1-2°C.
The first and second decade of September were the warmest in the Silesian Lowland, with temperatures ranging from 15.5 to more than 16°C in the first decade, and from 16 to 17.5°C in the second. The lowest temperatures were recorded in the north of Poland, ranging from 13 to 15°C (in the first decade), and in the northeast, ranging from 14 to 15°C.
In July, precipitation varied across the country. Particularly scarce precipitation, below 30 mm, occurred in the southwestern and northeastern regions and constituted below 40% of the multiannual norm. Whereas the highest precipitation values (above 150 mm) were recorded in the south of Poland, and slightly lower values, from 60 to 90 mm, in the north, where they constituted 90-110% of the norm. In the majority of areas precipitation ranged from 30 to 60 mm (40-90% of the norm).
In August, in vast areas of the country precipitation ranged from 60 to 120 mm and constituted 100-160% of the multiannual norm. Only in the north of Poland, in the Lublin and Lesser Poland Uplands, and in the Sandomierz Basin precipitation was less intense, between 40 and 60 mm (60-100% of the norm).
In the first decade of September, the lowest precipitation was recorded in the Lubusz Land, ranging from 5 to 10 mm. Slightly higher values, from 5 to 20 mm, were recorded in the southern part of the Masovian and Podlasie Lowlands, in the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and on the northern part of the Masurian Lake District. In the rest of the country, precipitation was more intense, ranging from 20 to more than 50 mm.
In the second decade of the month, in many areas of Poland no precipitation occurred, or it was very scarce (below 5 mm).
The recent decrease or even lack of precipitation resulted in the decrease of CWB values, which leads to a growing plant water deficit. Due to these adverse changes in the humidity conditions, the area affected by agricultural drought has increased for the following crops: potato, maize for grain and for silage, sugar beet and legumes.
The highest water deficit is currently recorded in Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, and, to a lesser extent in: Wielkopolskie, Łódzkie, Opolskie and Zachodniopomorskie.
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, Mgr Agata Ścibior