#agriculture #farming #climatechange #extremeweather #strawberryfarming #croploss #fungalinfections #irrigationsystems
Manfredas Rudis, owner of Manfredo uogos farm, invested heavily in modern irrigation systems to protect his strawberries from frost. However, heavy rainfall after a prolonged drought caused fungal infections, leading to hundreds of kilograms of berries being discarded daily. This unprecedented loss highlights the challenges farmers face due to extreme weather conditions.
Data from a recent report reveals that Rudis’ farm has suffered approximately 10% crop damage, resulting in the disposal of 3.5 tons of strawberries. While the initial plan was to harvest 45 tons, the best-case scenario now stands at 25 tons. Despite investing in protective measures, 30% of the flowers froze during unexpected low temperatures.
Manfredas Rudis’ unfortunate experience serves as a wake-up call to farmers and agricultural professionals about the increasing risks associated with climate change and extreme weather events. The combination of a prolonged drought, followed by torrential rains and temperature fluctuations, created favorable conditions for fungal infections, devastating the strawberry harvest. This incident underscores the need for farmers to adapt their strategies and explore additional measures to mitigate the impact of changing weather patterns on crop production.
