Drought intensifies: Europe's food market is in great alarm

Europe is suffering from an increasing drought. The low water level in the rivers is already having an impact on agriculture and transport, among other things, and forecasts indicate that the situation could get even worse. Details are transmitted by the Polish Gazeta.Pl .

Due to the lack of precipitation and higher than usual temperatures in Eastern, Central and Southern Europe, as well as in The Eastern Mediterranean is experiencing a large-scale drought. Similar conditions are developing in northwestern Europe, as warned in a new report by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission (JRC). The document says that from January to March 2025, average temperatures in the Alps, Eastern Europe and northern Scandinavia were 3 degrees Celsius above normal.

Very dry conditions in March were recorded in northern Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, southern Scandinavia and most of the UK and Ireland. Similar trends were observed in the south of Ukraine, as well as in central and eastern Turkey. Droughts were avoided by Spain and part of Portugal, western and central regions of France and Italy.

It is expected that from April to June 2025 in Northern and Western Europe, including the UK and Ireland, will be drier than usual. More positive conditions are expected at The Iberian Peninsula, in central Italy, the eastern Alps and Greece. The water level in the rivers of Eastern Europe in May is likely to remain unusually low and may fall even lower over time.

"In many areas, low river flow is already affecting agriculture, ecosystems, energy production and transport," the report says.