– Here there is maybe one more week, then it’s empty. This usually lasts until mid-August. Farmer Håkon Marius Kvæken points towards the clearing and a pasture on Løten, a little east of Hamar. There should have been lush pasture here. But the lack of rain means that the pastures are about to dry up. – It is a special situation, and I would claim that it is worse now than in 2018, says Kvæken. DRY: On this grain soil on the Løten, it is dry deep down in the soil. Then the soil’s ability to absorb new water also deteriorates. Photo: Jonas Oden Ulset – Must start removing the winter fodder It has been very dry in large parts of southern Norway in June, and several farmers have previously feared conditions in 2018. The summer of 2018 was the driest summer in southern Norway recorded in modern times. It had major consequences and created feed shortages for many Norwegian farmers. Although there was some rain in Norway’s largest agricultural county last week, the local variations are large. – There are some who have received 15 to 20 millimeters. We’ve got three and a half. It’s worth nothing. As a result, the crops will be small, and Kvæken expects that it may be challenging to obtain enough fodder for the livestock for the winter. – One thing is that we have too little feed, but another thing is that the fenced pastures are empty. We now find that we have to start removing the winter feed. FEED SHORTAGE: Farmer Håkon Marius Kvæken fears that Norwegian livestock farmers will again have to rely on imported feed, as many had to in 2018. Photo: Jonas Oden Ulset Feed can be obtained, whether it is from farmers in areas that are not affected by drought, or by importing feed from abroad, as many had to do in 2018. But it is not an ideal situation, explains Kvæken. – It is the psychological part that is the worst. Having livestock and not enough feed is a challenge. There will be a lot of organization and a lot of management involved. Concerned about not pulling the gold tip Harald Solberg in Norwegian Agricultural Advisory is anxiously waiting to see how much rain can fall this weekend. 20 to 30 millimeters has been forecast in the low-lying parts of the interior for the weekend. But summer showers are unpredictable, explains Solberg. – You can get 30mm, and I can get none. So that is the concern of everyone. That they don’t pull the gold tip. WAITING: Harald Solberg in Norsk Landbruksrådgivning is anxiously waiting to see how much rain will come at the weekend. If there is enough, a lot can be saved, he believes. Photo: Jonas Oden Ulset – Can the damage be as great as in 2018? – The long forecasts show that it could be a hot July, and in 2018 it was in July that the really big damages occurred. But if we get rainfall, there is a lot of rock. Fears of a new drought disaster – the Minister of Agriculture is worried Solberg believes we still have to worry about the fact that there may already have been major crop losses. If you have a crop of less than 70 per cent of normal, you have the opportunity to register for replacement. – And there are many who have reported that they are below 70 per cent of the crop already, says Solberg. OPTIMIST: Farmer Håkon Kvæken is unsure whether the rain will come to his farm, but chooses to be a sober optimist. Photo: Jonas Oden Ulset Sober optimist Farmer Håkon Marius Kvæken says he is a sober optimist, despite the fact that he has a feeling that there is no rain in the air. – But I hope I’m wrong. We need a good rainy weather belt over the whole of Norway, and at least over Eastern Norway, to make this go up, he says.
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Farmer Håkon Marius Kvæken fears a shortage of fodder after the drought. The long-awaited rain will arrive at the weekend. – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
