Bucharest [Romania], August 19: Persisting drought threatens to reduce agricultural production in most of Romania's counties this year as thirsty cropland is expanding in acreage day by day, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Thursday.
The drought has affected 375,423 hectares of cropland in 33 of Romania's 41 counties, causing damages, data from the ministry show.
About 54 percent of the damages are reported in wheat and triticale cultivation, 17 percent in corn and 16 percent in rapeseed and sunflower.
Romania has about 10 million hectares of arable land, only 3 million hectares of which are irrigated.
Farmers believe the actual acreage of drought-hit cropland is still much larger than what the official statistics have revealed and the consequence will be severe.
Official figures show the country's wheat production is down 18 percent from last year. Damages are expected also from sunflower production, as drought has forced farmers to start harvesting much earlier than usual.
Meanwhile, hundreds of localities across the country have restricted water supplies to cope with the crisis.
According to Tanczos Barna, minister of environment, water and forests, more than 70 percent of the territory is plagued by drought varying from moderate to extreme levels.
The minister has repeatedly called for rational consumption of drinking water and warned the public not to use it for irrigation.
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca also said that "the rational consumption of water is a civic duty for each of us."
Source: Xinhua
