Communication report regarding the incidences of drought conditions in Poland

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 sixth reporting period, i.e. from May 11th to July 10th, 2021 the average value of Climatic Water Balance (CWB), which is the basis for assessing the risk of agricultural drought, was negative and equalled -102 mm. The average CWB value has increased by 1 mm in relation to the previous reporting period (May 1st – June 30th).

The highest water deficit, ranging from -150 to -189 mm, was recorded in the Białogard Plain, the central part of the Slovincian Coast, the Kashubian Lake District, the Vistula Fens, in the eastern part of the Gorzów Basin, central part of the Greater Poland Lake District, eastern part of the Greater Poland Lowland and in the Oleśnica Plain. Slightly lower deficit was recorded in the western part of the North Masovian Lowland, the Przedbórz Upland, the South Pomeranian Lake District, the western and central part of the Southern Masovia Hills, the Ełk Lake District, Lublin Polesie, Podlasie and in the Silesian Lowland, where it ranged from -120 to -149 mm. In the rest of the country, water deficit was less severe: from -50 mm to -119 mm.

Based on the current humidity conditions, IUNG-PIB states the occurrence of agricultural drought in the area of Poland.

Agricultural drought occurred in the following voivodeships:

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

Agricultural drought occurred in ten crops:

• Rape and turnip rape,
• Spring cereals,
• Fruit shrubs,
• Maize for grain,
• Maize for silage,
• Legumes,
• Winter cereals,
• Strawberries,
• Ground vegetables,
• Tobacco.

In the sixth reporting period, from May 11th to July 10th, 2021, the largest area affected by agricultural drought was identified for rapeseed and turnip rape. Drought was recorded in 1013 municipalities (40.9% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 10.62%. Drought was recorded in the area of 9.92% of arable land, which is 2.09% more than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in rapeseed and turnip rape in particular voivodeships are presented in table 1.

Table 1. Agricultural drought in rapeseed and turnip rape

Agricultural drought occurred also in spring cereals. It was recorded in 352 municipalities (14.21% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 16.07%. Drought occurred in the area of 2.16% of arable land, which is 6.27% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in spring cereals in particular voivodeships are presented in table 2.

Table 2. Agricultural drought in spring cereals

Agricultural drought occurred in fruit shrubs as well. It was recorded in 332 municipalities (13.40% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 8.52%. Drought occurred in the area of 2.08% of arable land, which is 4.02% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in fruit shrubs in particular voivodeships are presented in table 3.

Table 3. Agricultural drought in fruit shrubs

Agricultural drought occurred also in maize for grain. It was recorded in 302 municipalities (12.19% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 1.77%. Drought occurred in the area of 1.47% of arable land, which is 0.71% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in maize for grain in particular voivodeships are presented in table 4.

Table 4. Agricultural drought in maize for grain

Agricultural drought occurred in maize for silage as well. It was recorded in 302 municipalities (12.19% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 1.77%. Drought occurred in the area of 1.47% of arable land, which is 0.71% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in maize for silage in particular voivodeships are presented in table 5.

Table 5. Agricultural drought in maize for silage

Agricultural drought was also recorded in legumes. It occurred in 169 municipalities (6.82% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 3.6%. Drought occurred in the area of 0.58% of arable land, which is 2.56% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in legumes in particular voivodeships are presented in table 6.

Table 6. Agricultural drought in legumes

Agricultural drought was also recorded in winter cereals. It occurred in 140 municipalities (5.65% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 10.42%. Drought occurred in the area of 0.41% of arable land, which is 4.22% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in winter cereals in particular voivodeships are presented in table 7.

Table 7. Agricultural drought in winter cereals

In this reporting period, agricultural drought was also recorded in strawberries. It occurred in 27 municipalities (1.09% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 8.24%. Drought occurred in the area of 0.02% of arable land, which is 3.16% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in strawberries in particular voivodeships are presented in table 8.

Table 8. Agricultural drought in strawberries

Agricultural drought occurred also in ground vegetables. It was recorded in 5 municipalities (0.20% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 2.99%. Drought occurred in the area of 0.07% of arable land, which is 0.36% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in ground vegetables in the particular voivodeship are presented in table 9

Table 9. Agricultural drought in ground vegetables

In this reporting period, agricultural drought occurred in tobacco. It was recorded in 4 municipalities (0.16% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 3.03%. Drought occurred in the area of 0.05% of arable land, which is 0.45% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in tobacco in the particular voivodeships are presented in table 10

Table 10. Agricultural drought in tobacco

May was cold this year. The lowest temperatures were recorded in the north and south of the country, ranging from 10 to 12°C, and even from 8°C to 10°C in the extreme south. In the vast area of the country temperatures ranged from 12 to 13°C, or more than 13°C in the Sandomierz Basin. Only in the north of Poland and in the south-eastern regions, the temperature remained within the multiannual norm, whilst in the vast majority of the country is was lower than the norm by 1-2°C.

This year’s June was warmer than the multiannual norm by 1-3°C. The highest temperatures (above 20°C) were recorded in the area near Sandomierz, in the central part of the Masovian Lowland and in the Greater Poland Lake District, the Greater Poland Lowland and the southern part of the Silesian Lowland.

The lowest temperatures occurred in Pogórze, from 14 to 18°C. In the rest of the country temperatures ranged from 18 to 20°C.

In the first decade of July it was the warmest in the east of Poland, in the Carpathian Foothills and the Sandomierz Basin, where temperature exceeded 21°C. The lowest temperatures were recorded in the mountains, from 14 to 16°C. In the rest of the country temperatures ranged from 17 to 21°C.

In May, precipitation was highly diversified. The lowest precipitation values were recorded in the north-western and south-eastern regions of Poland, ranging from 40 to 60 mm, and constituting 90-100% of the norm, whilst in the Lublin Upland and Western and Volhynian Polesie precipitation in May constituted only 70% of the multiannual norm. Significantly higher values, from 60 to even 120 mm, were recorded in the area extending from south-western to north-eastern parts of the country. High precipitation values, from 100 to more than 200 mm, were recorded in the Sudetes, the Western Beskids and the Carpathians. In the vast majority of the country, precipitation in May constituted from 100 to 150% of the multiannual norm.

In June, precipitation was diversified as well. Precipitation values in the range of 40-80% were recorded in Pogórze, in the Silesian Lowland, the Pomeranian Lake District, the Masovian Lowland, and the Chełmno-Dobrzyń Lake District. Precipitation values within the multiannual norm were recorded in the Lublin Upland, Polesie, the Lesser Poland Upland, and in the northern part of Kraków- Częstochowa Upland. Precipitation above the 120% of the norm occurred in the Lubusz Land and in the western part of the Greater Poland Lake District.

In the first decade of July, the lowest precipitation values (below 15 mm) were recorded in the northern part of Lublin Polesie, in the Volhynian Upland, the eastern part of the Sandomierz Basin, in the Silesian Lowland and the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland. The highest values, from 70 to 110 mm, were recorded in the Masurian Lake District, the North Podlasie Lowland, in the central part of the Sandomierz Basin, in the western part of the Lublin Upland, in the North Masovian Lowland and the Iława Lake District. In the rest of the country precipitation ranged from 15 to 70 mm.

In this sixty-day reporting period, from May 11th to July 10th, 2021, the water deficit values have further decreased across the country (on average by 1 mm) in relation to the previous reporting period. Such humidity conditions resulted in agricultural drought occurrence in 15 voivodeships in Poland.

Definitely the highest water deficit was identified in the Pomorskie voivodeship, where drought occurred in 10 crops. Slightly less severe risk occurred in the Wielkopolskie, Zachodniopomorskie, and Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodeships, where drought was recorded in eight crops. Drought occurred also in the Łódzkie, Opolskie, Świętokrzyskie, and Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodships, where it was recorded in seven crops. Whilst in Podlaskie, Mazowieckie, Lubuskie, Lubelskie, Dolnośląskie and Podkarpackie voivodeships water shortages caused drought conditions in five crops. In the Śląskie voivodeship, drought affected only one of the monitored crops.

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 Anna Jędrejek, Mgr Małgorzata Kozak, Adrian Matczuk