(ANSA) - ROME, JAN 27 - The spotlight is on maize, where the drop in cultivated areas dropped to an all-time low of 564,000 hectares and the bad climatic trend of the year, characterized by an unprecedented summer drought, reduced Italian production to just 4.7 million tons, the same as in 1972, with serious quality problems.
This is the situation of the sector outlined in the usual appointment organized by Crea Cerealicoltura e ColtureIndustriali, with a focus dedicated to the CAP 2023-27.
"Maize is one of the crops most affected by the changed climate conditions - says the director of the Centre, Nicola Pecchioni - for this reason the future of the crop will be increasingly linked to the vocation of the territories, the availability of water resources and precision agriculture".
Based on the first Istat data, unit yields fell by 23%, with yield drops of up to 32% in Veneto and -25% in Lombardy, one of the major maidic regions, and peaks of 43% in Rovigo and 46% in Perugia .
A negative trend that involved all European producers with a decrease of 21 million tons in the EU alone (-29%).
The climate emergency of 2022, amid drought, fungi and mycotoxins, in particular aflatoxins, which affected the quantity and quality of production, made evident the urgency of improving the sustainability and resilience of cropping systems.
The monitoring results of the Corn Quality Network, coordinated by CREA, showed that 26% of the samples had aflatoxin content higher than 20 µg/kg and 65% with fumonisins higher than 4000 µg/kg.
The development of resistance and/or tolerance to stress necessarily passes through genetic improvement and the choice of the most suitable varieties for these purposes.
Last but not least, the sector will now have to deal with the new rules foreseen by the new CAP, explains Crea, with a 40% cut in direct aid; in fact, the amount of the contribution will halve from the current 360 euros/hectare to 180 euros/hectare ,reaching 255 euros/hectare only if the eco-scheme, the new criteria set in terms of sustainability, is adhered to.
such purposes.
(HANDLE).
In fact, the amount of the contribution will halve from the current 360 euros/hectare to 180 euros/hectare, arriving at 255 euros/hectare only if the eco-schema, the new criteria set on the sustainability front, is adhered to.
such purposes.
(HANDLE).
In fact, the amount of the contribution will halve from the current 360 euros/hectare to 180 euros/hectare, arriving at 255 euros/hectare only if the eco-schema, the new criteria set on the sustainability front, is adhered to.
such purposes.
(HANDLE).
