Agricultural drought in Serbia

Extreme drought conditions in Serbia have significantly disrupted autumn crop cycles. In the northern Banat region, specifically around Kikinda, lack of precipitation during July, August, and September has prevented rapeseed seeds from germinating, despite some sowing efforts in mid-September.

As the situation progressed into late October, the drought began impacting wheat sowing. Dry and cloddy soil conditions have made land preparation difficult and caused damage to farming machinery. Experts suggest that the typical sowing window may be pushed into November, which carries the risk of plants failing to develop sufficient root systems to survive the winter.

Additionally, the drought has introduced economic pressures, with sowing costs estimated to be 10–15 percent higher than the previous autumn. Due to the difficulties facing rapeseed, some farmers are expected to shift land use toward wheat, with total autumn crop areas projected to reach approximately 850,000 hectares.