Agricultural crisis in the Voronezh region: frosts and drought have caused damage to peasants, a state of emergency has been introduced in agriculture.

Currently, farmers in the Voronezh region are busy harvesting agricultural crops and completing sowing work. Unfortunately, the year 2024 has been extremely difficult for farmers due to frosts in May and ongoing drought.

According to the decree of the Voronezh region governor dated September 30, a state of emergency was introduced in the agricultural sector due to a dangerous agrometeorological situation.

According to the latest data from the crop production department of the Voronezh Region Ministry of Agriculture as of October 8, 2024, the sown area of winter crops in the region amounted to 580.5 thousand hectares. For 2025, it is planned to sow 735.6 thousand hectares of winter crops. For comparison, as of October 1, 2023, 607 thousand hectares were sown, and for 2024 - 655 thousand hectares.

The composition of sown areas in the Voronezh region remains almost unchanged from year to year. Grain and leguminous crops occupy about half of the arable land, industrial crops - about a quarter, while forage crops, potatoes, vegetables, and others make up the remaining fifth. These parameters are determined by scientifically based agricultural systems developed by agricultural research institutions in the region.

Over a prolonged period, dangerous agrometeorological phenomena such as atmospheric and soil drought have been occurring throughout the region. Such weather conditions adversely affect the growth of agricultural crops.

Damages and losses of agricultural plants have been recorded on an area of about 100 thousand hectares. This mainly affected late grain crops (corn for grain, millet, buckwheat), as well as sugar beets and sunflowers.

Losses are compensated only by insurance companies in case of death or damage to agricultural crops. Farmers who have insured their crops for emergencies in agriculture, atmospheric and soil drought, can receive payments from insurance companies.

The Ministry of Agriculture provides compensation to soften the financial burden of some of the costs of insuring agricultural crops against dangerous natural phenomena. However, the budget does not provide for direct compensation for crop loss.

Insurance companies will compensate for the losses of products for each agricultural crop area affected as a result of an emergency situation (but within the framework of compensating direct costs of the farmer for these areas).

When it comes to insurance against specific risks, it is necessary to provide a confirmation certificate from the Voronezh Hydrometeorological Center. Based on this document and the insurance contract conditions, the loss adjustment department of the insurance company will determine the amount and timing of payments.

Regardless of the type of insurance, an agricultural producer must immediately inform their insurer of the occurrence of an insured event.