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 sixth reporting period, i.e. from May 11th to July 10th, 2022, the average value of Climatic Water Balance (CWB), which is the basis for assessing the risk of agricultural drought, was negative and equalled -113 mm. In the current sixty-day reporting period, the average CWB value has increased in relation to the previous reporting period (May 1st – June 30th) by 24 mm.

Water deficit for agricultural crops was still recorded across all the country.

The highest water deficit, ranging from -160 to -219 mm, occurred in the Silesian Lowland. Considerably high water deficit was also recorded in the Sandomierz Basin, from -160 to -209 mm. High water shortages occurred also in the area of Lublin Polesie and in the Lublin Upland, ranging from -160 to -199 mm. Slightly lower water deficit occurred in the Greater Poland Lowland and Greater Poland Lake District, ranging from -150 to -179 mm. In the vast area of Poland, water deficit ranged from -120 to 149 mm, whilst in the area of the Masurian Lake District, the Sudeten Foothills, the Silesian Upland, and the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland, water shortages were less severe, and ranged from 0 to -119 mm.

Based on the humidity conditions in the sixth 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.

Agricultural drought occurred in all the voivodeships in the country.

Agricultural drought was recorded in twelve crops:

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

In the sixth reporting period, from May 11th to July 10th, 2022, agricultural drought affected rapeseed and turnip rape the most. Drought was recorded in 1373 municipalities (55.43% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 12.31%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 12.83% of arable land, which is 6.88% less 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 also occurred in spring cereals. It was recorded in 612 municipalities (24.71% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 43.11%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 4.75% of arable land, which is 18.72% 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 affected fruit shrubs as well. It was recorded in 590 municipalities (23.82% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 35.40%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 4.64% of arable land, which is 13.12% 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 also occurred in maize for grain. It was recorded in 525 municipalities (21.19% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 19.75%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 3.07% of arable land, which is 4.86% 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 525 municipalities (21.19% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 19.75%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 3.07% of arable land, which is 4.86% 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 also affected legumes. It was recorded in 388 municipalities (15.66% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 25.60%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 2.59% of arable land, which is 7.34% 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 also occurred in winter cereals. It was recorded in 348 municipalities (15.05% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 37.59%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 2.29% of arable land, which is 10.81% 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 sixty-day reporting period, agricultural drought was also recorded in strawberries. It occurred in 195 municipalities (7.87% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 31.57%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 1.15% of arable land, which is 8.71% 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 fruit strawberries

Agricultural drought affected ground vegetables as well. It was recorded in 129 municipalities (5.21% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 12.03%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 0.63% of arable land, which is 2.03% less than in the previous reporting period.

Detailed data on drought occurrence in ground vegetables in particular voivodeships are presented in table 9.

Table 9. Agricultural drought in ground vegetables

Agricultural drought also occurred in tobacco. It was recorded in 120 municipalities (4.84% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 12.56%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 0.69% of arable land, which is 2.53% less than in the previous reporting period.

Detailed data on drought occurrence in tobacco in particular voivodeships are presented in table 10.

Table 10. Agricultural drought in tobacco

Agricultural drought was also recorded in fruit trees. It was recorded in 129 municipalities (17.24% of all municipalities in Poland). In relation to the previous reporting period, the number of municipalities affected by agricultural drought has decreased by 14.62%.

Agricultural drought was recorded in the area of 0.26% of arable land, which is 2.14% less than in the previous reporting period.

Detailed data on drought occurrence in fruit trees in particular voivodeships are presented in table 11.

Table 11. Agricultural drought in fruit trees

Agricultural drought was also recorded in hops. It occurred in 2 municipalities, in the Dolnośląskie voivodeship (1.18% of municipalities in the voivodeship, and 0.08% of all municipalities in Poland), in the area of 0.07% of arable land in the Dolnośląskie voivodeship.

This year, 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 temperatures were 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 third decade of June was also very warm. The highest temperatures were recorded in the Silesian Lowland, the Greater Poland Lowland, and the Greater Poland Lake District, ranging from 19 to 22°C. In the rest of the country, temperatures were also high, from 18 to 19°C.

In the first decade of July, in the Pomeranian Lake District, temperatures were low and ranged from 14 to 17°C. The highest temperatures were recorded in Lublin Polesie and in the eastern part of the Carpathian Foothills, reaching 19°C. In the vast majority of the country, temperatures ranged from 17 to 19°C.

In May, considerably high insolation was recorded 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. In the third decade of June, insolation in the southeastern part of Poland was still very high, from 120 to 130 hours, whilst in the western regions of the country it was lower, reaching 100-110 hours. In the rest of the country, insolation ranged from 110 to 120 hours.

The first decade of July was characterized by very low insolation. The lowest values were recorded in the Lublin Upland, the Sandomierz Basin, in the Silesian and the Greater Poland Uplands, and in the eastern regions of the Masurian Lake District, reaching 60 to 70 hours. The highest insolation was recorded in the Slovincian Coastland, from 90 to 100 hours. In the rest of the country, insolation ranged from 70 to 90 hours.

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.

Throughout 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 of June, 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. In the third decade of the month, similar values were recorded in the area of the Silesian Lowland and the Sudeten Foothills.

The first decade of July has been the most humid period this year so far. Especially high precipitation was recorded in the Uplands: the Lesser Poland and Lublin, in the Sandomierz Basin, in Lublin Polesie, in the Podlasie Lowland and the Pomeranian Lake District, reaching from 60 to more than 120 mm. It is worth mentioning that this intense precipitation occurred in the area that had suffered the highest water deficit in the period of May 1st – June 30th, 2022. Whilst the lowest precipitation occurred in the Greater Poland Upland and the Greater Poland Lake District, in the central part of the Masovian Lowland, and in the Masurian Lake District, ranging from 15 to 30 mm. In the rest of the country precipitation ranged from 30 to 60 mm.

Both in the first and in the second agricultural drought reporting period, relatively low evapotranspiration values were recorded, namely, 2.5 mm/day. Due to higher precipitation values recorded in the second and third decade of May, water deficit decreased in relation to the first reporting period. In the third report, however, evapotranspiration increased to the value of 2.9 mm/day, in the fourth report to 3.3 mm/day, in the fifth to 3.8 mm/day, and in the sixth report, it reached the value of 3.9 mm/day.

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 July 10th, six agricultural drought monitoring reports have been 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,
• Rapeseed and turnip rape,
• Strawberries,
• Fruit shrubs,
• Maize for grain,
• Maize for silage,
• Legumes,
• Tobacco,
• Ground vegetables,
• Fruit trees,
• Hops.

The occurrence of such yield losses in the country in the period of March 21st – July 10th, 2022, is presented in table 12.

Table 12. Agricultural drought in Poland in the period of 21.03-10.07.2022.

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

have 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.

It should be noticed, however, that the observed alleviation of drought conditions in the current sixty-day reporting period resulted mainly from intense precipitation in the area affected by the highest water deficit in the previous reporting period (the southeastern part of 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