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 calculated the climatic water balance values for all 2477 Polish municipalities (gminas) and, based on soil categories, assessed the current risk of agricultural drought.

In the fourth reporting period, i.e. from April 21st to June 20th, 2022, the average value of Climatic Water Balance (CWB), which is the basis for assessing the risk of agricultural drought, was negative and equalled -108 mm. In the current sixty-day reporting period, the average CWB value has decreased in relation to the previous reporting period (April 11th – June 10th) by 13 mm.

Water deficit for agricultural crops increased and was still recorded across all the country. The highest water deficit, ranging from -170 to -189 mm occurred in the Lubusz Land and the Trzebnickie Hills. Also high water deficit, from -150 to -179 mm, was recorded in Lublin Polesie and the Sandomierz Basin, and slightly lower, from -150 to 169 mm, in the Slovincian Coastland. Considerable water shortages were also recorded in the Pomeranian Lake District, the Greater Poland Lake District, the Greater Poland Lowland, the Lublin Upland, in the eastern part of the Lesser Poland Upland, southern part of the Masovian Lowland, and northern part of the Carpathian Foothills, ranging from -120 to 159 mm. In the area of the Masurian Lake District, the Podlasie Lowland, the Sudeten Foothills, the Silesian Upland, the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, and the Western Beskids, water shortages were less severe, ranging from 0 to -119 mm.

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

Below we present the occurrence of agricultural drought in the area of Poland, resulting in crop yield reduction by at least 20% at municipality level in relation to the yield obtained in the multiannual average weather conditions.

Agricultural drought occurred in the following voivodeships:

• Lubuskie,
• Lubelskie,
• Wielkopolskie,
• Świętokrzyskie,
• Zachodniopomorskie,
• Podkarpackie,
• Dolnośląskie,
• Mazowieckie,

9.Małopolskie,

10.Pomorskie,

11.Podlaskie,

12.Kujawsko-pomorskie,

13.Łódzkie,

14.Warmińsko-mazurskie,

15. Opolskie.

Agricultural drought was recorded in eleven crops:

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

In the fourth reporting period, from April 21st to June 20th, 2022, agricultural drought affected spring cereals the most. Drought was recorded in 891 municipalities (35.97% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 4.16%. Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 7.48% of arable land, which is 0.35% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in spring cereals in particular voivodeships are presented in table 1.

Table 1. Agricultural drought in spring cereals

Agricultural drought also occurred in winter cereals. It was recorded in 556 municipalities (22.45% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 2.22%. Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 3.6% of arable land, which is 0.21% less than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in winter cereals in particular voivodeships are presented in table 2.

Table 2. Agricultural drought in winter cereals

Agricultural drought affected fruit shrubs as well. It was recorded in 476 municipalities (19.22% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 13.08%. Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 3.32% of arable land, which is 2.28% more 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

In this sixty-day reporting period, agricultural drought was also recorded in strawberries. It occurred in 331 municipalities (13.36% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 3.07%. Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 2.0% of arable land, which is 0.283% more than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in strawberries in particular voivodeships are presented in table 4.

Table 4. Agricultural drought in strawberries

Agricultural drought also occurred in rapeseed and turnip rape. It was recorded in 254 municipalities (10.25% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has increased by 10.17%. Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 1.3% of arable land, which is 1.29% more than in the previous reporting period. Detailed data on drought occurrence in rapeseed and turnip rape in particular voivodeships are presented in table 5.

Table 5. Agricultural drought in rapeseed and turnip rape

Agricultural drought also affected legumes. It was recorded in 146 municipalities (5.89% of all municipalities in Poland), in the area of 0.66% of arable land. Detailed data on drought occurrence in legumes in particular voivodeships are presented in table 6.

Table 6. Agricultural drought in legumes

Agricultural drought also occurred in maize for grain. It was recorded in 72 municipalities (2.91% of all municipalities in Poland), in the area of 0.24% of arable land. Detailed data on drought occurrence in maize for grain in particular voivodeships are presented in table 7.

Table 7. Agricultural drought in maize for grain

Agricultural drought affected maize for silage as well. It was recorded in 72 municipalities (2.91% of all municipalities in Poland), in the area of 0.24% of arable land. Detailed data on drought occurrence in maize for silage in particular voivodeships are presented in table 8.

Table 8. Agricultural drought in maize for silage

Agricultural drought was also recorded in fruit trees. It was recorded in 4 municipalities (0.16% of all municipalities in Poland), in the area of 0.01% of arable land. Detailed data on drought occurrence in fruit trees in particular voivodeships are presented in table 9.

Table 9. Agricultural drought in fruit trees

Agricultural drought was also recorded in tobacco. It occurred in 1 municipality in Dolnośląskie voivodeship (0.04% of all municipalities in Poland).

Agricultural drought also occurred in ground vegetables, in 1 municipality in Dolnośląskie voivodeship (0.04% of all municipalities in Poland).

This year’s April was cold, in the eastern and northern parts of Poland temperatures ranged from 4 to 7°C, only to the west it was slightly warmer, from 7 to 8°C. In more than half of the territory: south, southeast, and east of Poland, the temperatures were lower than multiannual norm by 2-3°C, and in the rest of the country by 1-2°C.

In May, the temperature was highly diversified. The highest values were recorded in the south and southwestern regions of Poland, exceeding 15°C. In these areas, it exceeded the multiannual norm by 0.5-1.5°C. To the north from these regions, the temperature was lower, ranging from 14 to 15°C (but still exceeding the norm by about 0.5°C), whilst the further to the northeast, the lower was the temperature. In the large area of central Poland temperatures ranged from 12 to 14°C (0 to 0.5°C lower than the norm) and the lowest values were recorded in the north, ranging from 10 to 12°C (1-2°C lower than the norm).

In the first decade of June, the highest temperatures were recorded in Lublin Polesie and in the Carpathian Foothills - exceeding 18°C. High temperatures occurred also in the Lowlands: Masovian, Greater Poland, and Silesian, ranging from 17 to 18°C. Slightly lower values were recorded in the Lake Districts: Greater Poland and Masurian (in the south), ranging from 16.5 to 17°C. Whilst in the northern part of the Masurian Lake District and in the southern part of the Pomeranian Lake District, temperatures ranged from 15.5 to 16.5°C. The lowest temperature was recorded in the Slovincian Coastland and in the northern part of the Pomeranian Lake District: from 13.5 to 14.5°C. In the second decade of June, the highest temperatures occurred in the Silesian Lowland – more than 19°C. Only slightly lower values were recorded in the south, southwest and southeast of Poland, ranging from 17 to 19°C. To the north, temperature was lower, ranging from 16 to 17°C. The lowest temperature values were recorded in the Pomeranian and Masurian Lake Districts: from 13 to 16°C.

The second decade of May was characterised by high insolation in the south of Poland, reaching from 240 to 320 hours, which is 20-80 hours more than multiannual norm. In the northern part of the country, sunshine duration was lower, from 200 to 240 hours, with the exception of the coastline, where it ranged from 220 to 240 hours with the sun. In this part of the country, insolation remained within the norm. Only in the northeast of Poland, insolation was lower than the multiannual norm by about 20-50 hours.

In the first decade of June, the highest number of sunny days was recorded in the Slovincian Coastland and in the Podlasie Lowland, namely, from 90 to 100 hours. In the rest of the country those numbers were slightly lower, from 70 to 100 hours. The second decade was also characterized by high insolation, especially in the southeast of Poland, where it reached 110-120 hours. In the north of Poland, insolation was the lowest, reaching 70 hours.

April was highly diversified in terms of precipitation. In the eastern parts of the country, precipitation reached 40-60 mm and remained within the multiannual norm, or even exceeded it by 30%. In the majority of areas, precipitation values ranged from 20 to 40 mm, and in the north of Poland constituted 30 to 100% of the norm, whilst in the west from 100 to 130%.

In May, low precipitation values were recorded in the Beskids, the Carpathian Foothills, the Sandomierz Basin, the Lublin Upland, in the Lake Districts as well as in the Greater Poland Lowland, where they ranged from 10 to 30 mm and constituted 20 to 50% of the multiannual norm. Whilst relatively high precipitation, ranging from 50 to 80 mm, occurred in the Masurian and Pomeranian Lake Districts (90-160% of the norm). In the vast majority of the country, precipitation ranged from 30 to 40 mm and constituted 50-70% of the norm.

Both in the first and in the second decade of June, low precipitation values were recorded in the east and west of Poland, ranging from 10 to 20 mm, whilst in the central Poland they ranged from 25 to 35 mm. In the area of Uplands: Silesian, Kraków-Częstochowa, and Lesser Poland, precipitation was more intense and ranged from 35 to 100 mm in the first decade, whilst only around 30 mm in the second. In the first decade, slightly lower values were recorded in Kuyavia, in the Masurian Lake District and in the Eastern Beskids, ranging from 35 to 70 mm. In the second decade, precipitation ranged from 30 to 60 mm in the area of the Greater Poland Lowland, and the Pomeranian and Masurian Lake Districts.

Both in the first and in the second agricultural drought reporting period, relatively low evapotranspiration values were recorded, namely, 2.5 mm/day. In the second reporting period, water deficit has decreased due to higher precipitation values recorded in the second and third decade of May. In the third report, however, evapotranspiration increased to the value of 2.9 mm/day, and even to 3.3 mm/day in the fourth report, which led to the increase in water deficit, especially in the west and southeast of Poland.

We would like to inform that in accordance with the definition included in the Act of 7 July 2005 on insurance of agricultural crops and livestock (Journal of Laws No. 150, item 1249, as amended): “drought” means damage caused by the occurrence, in any sixty-day period from March 21st to September 30th, of a decline in the climatic water balance below the value specified for each crop species and soil type”. Thus, occurrence of drought in whichever sixty-day reporting period causes yield reduction by at least 20% at municipality level in relation to the yield obtained in the multiannual average weather conditions.

In this year's growing season, from March 21st to June 20th, four agricultural drought monitoring reports were prepared. During this reporting period, water shortages reducing yield by at least 20% compared to the yield obtained in average weather conditions were recorded for the following crops:

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

The occurrence of such yield losses in the country in the period of March 21st – June 20th, 2022, is presented in table 10.

Table 10. Agricultural drought in Poland in the period of 21.03-20.06.2022.

Detailed data on yield losses incurred in particular voivodeships presented using maps and tables are available on the website of the Agricultural Drought Monitoring System at: www.susza.iung.pulawy.pl, where you can select:

Drought risk maps \ Select crop \ Select period – in the case of period, the “Maximum range” option should be selected in order to obtain the following information on drought occurrence:

• number of affected municipalities,
• share of affected municipalities,
• share of the acreage affected by drought

in a selected voivodeship. The presented data is the sum of all municipalities and areas affected by drought from the beginning of the monitoring period (from March 21st) in a given year up to the current report. We would like to emphasize that only the maximum range is the most reliable for indication of drought occurrence at the country, voivodeship, municipality and cadastral parcels’ levels.

This year’s weather conditions, considering:

• high insolation (3rd decade of March, 1st and 2nd decade of May and June).
• high wind speed (1st decade of April, 3rd decade of May).
• low air humidity (3rd decade of March, 1st and 2nd decade of May).
• high air temperature (1st and 2nd decade of June).
• low precipitation (2nd decade of March, 3rd decade of April, 1st and 2nd decade of May)

led to a high water deficit for agricultural crops across the country, resulting in yield losses due to water shortage in all the voivodeships in Poland.

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, Mgr Beata Murat, Mgr Agata Ścibior