According to Johan Lagerholm, the month of August usually offers fine weather and the wheat harvest in Sörmland is in full swing. But this year it looks different.
The heavy rain during the latter part of the summer has meant that the harvest that could have started has had to be interrupted at regular intervals – and now the fields are wet.
Expensive crops
After all, if you harvest in the wet, the machines used can destroy the soils. In addition, the crop is affected.
According to Johan Lagerholm, a concern is now spreading among the around 4,000 farmers in Sörmland who are connected to LRF.
– We talked about this already at the beginning of the summer when it was so dry. This is one of the most expensive crops we have grown – so there are large economic values in the field and you are financially dependent on being able to harvest and sell – or feed your animals with the harvest.
More irrigation dams
He believes that more extreme weather must lead to farmers being better prepared for the consequences of the weather.
– Some cultivation technical measures may be needed, such as more irrigation ponds to cope with drier periods.
As for changing crops that are more weather-resistant, Johan Lagerholm does not think it is relevant at the moment.
– But more corn will be grown in the future, especially in southern Sweden.
In the clip, you see how wheat can be affected by the moisture that is currently in the fields and hear Johan Lagerholm talk about the farmers’ concerns about this year’s harvest and the increasingly extreme weather.