The confirmation of losses of currently R$ 115.2 million in agricultural production, the need to supply 3.2 thousand families with water trucks and the forecasts for the continuation of the drought led Mayor Paula Mascarenhas to declare an emergency situation in Pellets.
At the end of the morning of this Thursday (19), Paula signed Decree No. 6,696/2023, which authorizes City Hall bodies to develop disaster response measures capable of mitigating the damage caused by the lack of rain. The actions will be coordinated by the Municipal Coordination of Protection and Civil Defense.
According to the municipal coordinator of Civil Defense, Paulo dos Santos, from now on, the situation reports presented by Emater and other entities will be added to the process of formalizing the emergency situation and forwarded to the state and federal governments. The expectation is that the emergency situation will be recognized at both levels of government within 25 days. This, however, does not prevent the initiation of actions by the Municipality, as the decree takes effect immediately.
The signing took place at a meeting attended by representatives of the Rural Development Secretariat, Emater/Ascar, Irga, Embrapa, UFPel, Rural Association, Rural Union and Rural Workers’ Union.
Drought losses could triple in coming weeks
The reports prepared by technicians from Emater/Ascar, Irga, Embrapa and the Federal University of Pelotas point to a rainfall deficit of 200 millimeters in the last three months and present a forecast of maintenance of the situation and, consequently, an increase in losses in the field, which can triple in a matter of weeks.
Currently, the biggest losses are recorded in corn and corn for silage crops (to supplement cattle feed), which reaches 60%, which represents 57.7 tons lost and R$ 43.3 million in losses. The reduction in corn production has a direct impact on milk production, which already shows a 15% reduction in daily deliveries.
“The situation is serious. What this will add to future milk production is still impossible to measure”, evaluated Nilson Loecke, president of the Union of Rural Workers of Pelotas.
The conditions of the rice and soybean crops, however, generate apprehension and may inflate the loss figures in the coming weeks. This is because the two cultures have entered their most critical phases, in which they need significant amounts of water to develop.
The scenario is further complicated by the fact that 4,020 hectares planted with rice, representing 65% of the planted area in the municipality, are irrigated with water from Lagoa dos Patos and its tributaries (Arroio Pelotas, Contagem and Corrientes), which salinity levels far above those tolerated by rice. “If it doesn’t rain to reduce salinity, losses could reach 30% next week and evolve even more”, said agronomist Igor Khols, regional coordinator of Irga Zona Sul.
Faced with the risk of a significant increase in losses in soy and rice, technicians from teaching, research and rural extension entities elaborate a worrying prognosis regarding the extent of the losses recorded.
Sanep reinforces service to populations
The director-president of Sanep, Michele Alsina confirmed that the level registered in Santa Bárbara is the worst than in 2019 – when the city faced one of its worst droughts – and has already reached the mark of 1.80 meters below the spillway, the which at that time only happened at the end of February. Allied to this, the salinity of the Pelotas stream has further reduced the availability of water for treatment and distribution.
The confirmation of losses of currently R$ 115.2 million in agricultural production, the need to supply 3.2 thousand families with water trucks and the forecasts for the continuation of the drought led Mayor Paula Mascarenhas to declare an emergency situation in Pellets.
At the end of the morning of this Thursday (19), Paula signed Decree No. 6,696/2023, which authorizes City Hall bodies to develop disaster response measures capable of mitigating the damage caused by the lack of rain. The actions will be coordinated by the Municipal Coordination of Protection and Civil Defense.
According to the municipal coordinator of Civil Defense, Paulo dos Santos, from now on, the situation reports presented by Emater and other entities will be added to the process of formalizing the emergency situation and forwarded to the state and federal governments. The expectation is that the emergency situation will be recognized at both levels of government within 25 days. This, however, does not prevent the initiation of actions by the Municipality, as the decree takes effect immediately.
The signing took place at a meeting attended by representatives of the Rural Development Secretariat, Emater/Ascar, Irga, Embrapa, UFPel, Rural Association, Rural Union and Rural Workers’ Union.
Drought losses could triple in coming weeks
The reports prepared by technicians from Emater/Ascar, Irga, Embrapa and the Federal University of Pelotas point to a rainfall deficit of 200 millimeters in the last three months and present a forecast of maintenance of the situation and, consequently, an increase in losses in the field, which can triple in a matter of weeks.
Currently, the biggest losses are recorded in corn and corn for silage crops (to supplement cattle feed), which reaches 60%, which represents 57.7 tons lost and R$ 43.3 million in losses. The reduction in corn production has a direct impact on milk production, which already shows a 15% reduction in daily deliveries.
“The situation is serious. What this will add to future milk production is still impossible to measure”, evaluated Nilson Loecke, president of the Union of Rural Workers of Pelotas.
The conditions of the rice and soybean crops, however, generate apprehension and may inflate the loss figures in the coming weeks. This is because the two cultures have entered their most critical phases, in which they need significant amounts of water to develop.
The scenario is further complicated by the fact that 4,020 hectares planted with rice, representing 65% of the planted area in the municipality, are irrigated with water from Lagoa dos Patos and its tributaries (Arroio Pelotas, Contagem and Corrientes), which salinity levels far above those tolerated by rice. “If it doesn’t rain to reduce salinity, losses could reach 30% next week and evolve even more”, said agronomist Igor Khols, regional coordinator of Irga Zona Sul.
Faced with the risk of a significant increase in losses in soy and rice, technicians from teaching, research and rural extension entities elaborate a worrying prognosis regarding the extent of the losses recorded.
Sanep reinforces service to populations
The director-president of Sanep, Michele Alsina confirmed that the level registered in Santa Bárbara is the worst than in 2019 – when the city faced one of its worst droughts – and has already reached the mark of 1.80 meters below the spillway, the which at that time only happened at the end of February. Allied to this, the salinity of the Pelotas stream has further reduced the availability of water for treatment and distribution.
