Respect for your privacy is our priority

The cookie is a small information file stored in your browser each time you visit our web page.

Cookies are useful because they record the history of your activity on our web page. Thus, when you return to the page, it identifies you and configures its content based on your browsing habits, your identity and your preferences.

You may accept cookies or refuse, block or delete cookies, at your convenience. To do this, you can choose from one of the options available on this window or even and if necessary, by configuring your browser.

If you refuse cookies, we can not guarantee the proper functioning of the various features of our web page.

For more information, please read the COOKIES INFORMATION section on our web page.


Refuse
Accept

News

Lack of water in Southern Italy

07/08/2024 - Madeleine Royère-Koonings
In Southern Italy, the region of Basilicate is severely lacking water for processing tomatoes and about 3,000 hectares are at risk due to high summer temperatures combined with a shortage of available water

The current water levels in Lucanian dams are 210 million m³ less than they were a year ago. Currently, there are about 260 million m³ of water available, which is less than one-third of the total storage capacity that supports the drinking, irrigation, and industrial needs of Basilicata and part of Apulia. The Basilicata Land Reclamation Consortium is constantly adjusting water management to maintain the necessary flow rates for agriculture, but the ongoing dry conditions and high temperatures are worrying. The Lavello agricultural plain, located on Basilicata's northeastern border with Apulia, is particularly affected by the water shortage. Around 3,000 hectares of land used for growing processing tomatoes are at risk of very low yields, with some crops already severely compromised, according to agronomist Mario Cardone.

In Basilicata, early-planted processing tomatoes, transplanted at the end of April, are ripening faster due to high temperatures from mid-June onwards. The first two stages of tomatoes are already red, and the third and fourth stages are beginning to ripen. While yields are expected to be decent, the plants have experienced some heat damage and water scarcity, but these issues are still within manageable limits thanks to the plants' well-developed foliage, which is providing adequate protection.

However, tomatoes transplanted between May 10 and June 10, which make up a significant portion of the crop, are struggling more severely with the combined stresses of heat and water shortage. These plants had a tough flowering period and are now showing signs of stunted growth and apical rot. While May and early June had cooler temperatures and sufficient irrigation, the situation worsened from mid-June as temperatures rose and water availability became limited, leading to reduced irrigation hours and longer intervals between watering.

Source: Terra e Vita


In the past, the Lavello plain had sufficient irrigation water thanks to the Conza dam in Campania and the Rendina dam in Lucania. However, this is no longer the case. Although the Conza dam, which stores water from the Ofanto River, is full, its water is partially allocated for drinking purposes in southern Foggia. The remaining water reaches the Santa Venere crossing in Rocchetta Sant'Antonio, where it is divided among three land reclamation consortia: Capitanata, Centro-Sud Puglia, and Basilicata. This division is seen as unfair because the Foggia and Centro-Sud Puglia consortia have access to additional dams, while the Basilicata consortium does not. The nearby Rendina dam, which used to draw water from the Olivento stream, has been inactive for years. Although repairs were attempted about 20 years ago, they were not approved for dam filling due to poor execution. Recently, funds from the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) have been allocated to refurbish the Rendina dam, but the process will take years to complete.
 
Currently, 3,000 hectares of tomato fields in Basilicata have to share just 600 liters of water per second, which is far from sufficient for their needs. The Basilicata Reclamation Consortium requested additional water from the Apulian Aqueduct a few weeks ago, proposing an exchange of 5 million cubic meters from the Conza dam for an equal amount from the Pertusillo dam in Basilicata, which supplies the Apulian Aqueduct. However, they have not yet received a response. As a result, the tomato plants are suffering, and yields are expected to be very low. This could lead to significant financial losses for producers, who may struggle to pay for equipment and other costs, putting the entire industry and related sectors at risk.
Back

________________________________________

Editor : TOMATO NEWS SAS -  MAISON DE L'AGRICULTURE - TSA 48449 - 84912 AVIGNON Cedex 9 - FRANCE
contact@tomatonews.com
www.tomatonews.com

 

 

Supporting partners
Featured company
Lark Seeds International
See directory
Most popular news
Featured event
16TH WORLD PROCESSING TOMATO CONGRESS AND 18TH ISHS SYMPOSIUM ON PROCESSING TOMATO
Other events
Our supporting partners
AI Bit Invest AI Bit Invest