Meanwhile, the Vojvodina regional government claimed it was preventing the area’s desertification by investing in the local hydrologic system.
A severe drought has forced farmers in Serbia have been forced to start their sunflower and corn harvests much earlier again.
This is the third year in a row that the region has been hit by such conditions and the impact on the yield is huge, with corn output expected to be three times lower than the usual this year.
The northern region of Vojvodina, part of what is known as “Europe’s breadbasket,” has been particularly badly hit.
Tomica Vojnić from Tavankut paints a bleak picture. “You see, there are a lot of bare ones,” he told Euronews, pointing to the corn stalks. “Many of them don’t have an ear at all, or it’s (very) small.”
Drought not only stunted the growth but also brought pests that further damaged the already scarce crops.
The water crisis was another problem on farmers’ minds. Many residents have their own wells, but they are dry. “There is no water in our wells,” Vojnić said, “our crops depend on God’s mercy to send water from the skies.”
With irrigation impossible, some farmers have been forced to sell parts of their machinery or even their land to pay off loans and leases.
Expectations can’t be met, farmers said, as the drought continues ravaging the crops.
Miroslav Matković from the Subotica Farmers’ Association agreed, demanding immediate government intervention. “If the state doesn’t do something, we will all be in trouble,” he told Euronews.
Despite two years of requests to Subotica municipality to declare a natural disaster due to drought, there was no response. “We stood on the street for ten days,” Matković said, pointing to the farmers’ frustration and desperation.
Drought not only affects the agricultural production but also politics. While farmers demanded more support and action, the Vojvodina regional government claimed it was doing its part to prevent desertification by investing in the local hydrological system.
As Serbia grapples with this environmental and economic crisis, the call for a more robust response grows louder.
Whether through emergency declarations, financial aid, or infrastructure investment, it is clear that many Serbian farmers’ livelihoods will be lost without significant intervention.
