Egypt’s Ministry of Agriculture issues set of rules for farmers to protect export crops amid unstable weather

CAIRO-  31 December 2021: Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture has issued a set of rules to farmers to deal with the unstable weather conditions expected to occur in the coming days, based on the forecasts of the Meteorological Authority.

The climatic changes may affect agricultural activities, especially for export vegetable crops like Potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, and etc, so the Committee on Climate Change issued a guide report to farmers to preserve the crops.

The rules as follow:

• Stop irrigation completely  in areas where rain is expected during this unstable weather.

• In case of abundant rainfall, water must be removed to prevent the soil from becoming over-saturated with water.

• Postpone planting summer crops of potatoes and onions until the end of the period of instability so as not to double the percentage of germination.

• For winter crops of potatoes and beets, it is necessary to add 8 to 10 liters of phosphoric acid in surface irrigation after the end of the wave of instability.

• Take all preventive measures against gray mold of strawberry leaves and fruits in case of rainfalls in these areas.

• After the end of the unstable weather, farmers must work to protect the onion and garlic crops from downy mildew (black soil), with spraying pesticides.

• Take all preventive measures against the spread and appearance of gray mold of mango trees due to increased air humidity, especially in the event of light to medium rainfalls.

• Stop collecting and cutting tomatoes intended for drying in the governorates of Sohag - Luxor - Aswan due to the expected wind activity carrying sand and dust on Friday and Saturday.

• Be fully prepared for any emergence of yellow rust disease on wheat in the areas and basins in the Delta.

• Keep greenhouses planting to avoid temperature fluctuation. It is advisable for farmers to remove the plastic cover before 10:00 a.m. (Cairo time) and recover the greenhouses in afternoon.

• Spray potassium phosphite or magnesium phosphate compounds in exchange with calcium boron spraying, with one liter per acre a day after the end of rainfalls on crops of strawberry, artichoke, onion and garlic.

• It is necessary to protect the beds of onion seedlings and white bean sawmills from the expected rain (the delta areas).

• As for the livestock protection, farmers should examine  animals to ensure their safety and freedom from respiratory diseases, along with providing the necessary treatment for infected animals.

• It is advised that farmers should follow up on the stored fodder to ensure that no damage or mold occurs as a result of water leakage to it.

• They also have to transport animals away from water gatherings to be protected from diseases with insects, with periodic spraying of anti-sects.

• Increasing feeding ratios for the animals by 10-15% during this period.