VOA新闻杂志2022 美国小麦今年面临大范围减产

American farmers are having crop production problems at a time when many countries are facing a food crisis.

在许多国家正面临粮食危机的时候，美国农民面临农作物生产问题。

The United States is the world's fourth-largest wheat exporter.

美国是世界第四大小麦出口国。

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February stopped shipments of nearly a third of the world's wheat exports.

今年2月，俄罗斯入侵乌克兰，导致全球近三分之一的小麦出口中断。

Little has gone right for wheat supplies since then.

自那以后，小麦供应一直不太顺利。

Concerns about food supplies have increased because of worsening harvest possibilities in China and parts of Europe.

由于中国和欧洲部分地区的收成可能不太乐观，人们对粮食供应的担忧有所增加。

In addition to that, major producer India has banned wheat exports because of a bad spring harvest there.

除此之外，主要生产国印度由于该国春季收成不好，已经禁止小麦出口。

The United Nations has warned the effect of the war on grains, oils, fuel and fertilizer could result in hunger for millions of people.

联合国警告称，这场战争对粮食、石油、燃料和化肥的影响可能会导致数百万人挨饿。

The U.S. government has been calling on American farmers to plant more winter wheat this autumn.

美国政府一直呼吁美国农民在今年秋季种植更多冬小麦。

The government said it also would permit planting on some environmentally sensitive land beginning this autumn.

美国政府表示，从今年秋天开始，其还将允许在一些环境敏感的土地上种植作物。

But a drought and costly farm materials could limit production gains, grain experts say.

但粮食专家表示，干旱和昂贵的农用材料可能会限制粮食生产。

There are two wheat crops in the United States: spring wheat and winter wheat.

美国有两种小麦：春小麦和冬小麦。

Both are in trouble.

这两种小麦都陷入了困境。

In the southern U.S. Plains, winter wheat farmers have received very little rain and are concerned about the size of their harvest.

在美国南部平原，由于降雨量非常少，冬小麦种植者担心收成的多少。

Kansas farmers may not harvest thousands of hectares of wheat in fields this year because of drought damage.

由于旱灾，堪萨斯州农民今年可能无法收获数千公顷的小麦。

Extremely wet spring weather in the northern U.S. plains will also likely reduce crop production this year.

美国北部平原今年春季极其潮湿的天气也可能会使农作物的产量减少。

In North Dakota, a big April storm left the state's large fields under more than 1 meter of snow in some areas, causing floods as the snow melted.

在北达科他州，4月的一场暴风雪使该州一些地区的大片农田积雪超过1米，积雪融化后，引发了洪水。

The U.S. Department of Agriculture says farmers have only planted 49 percent of planned spring wheat as of May 22.

美国农业部表示，截至5月22日，农民只种植了春小麦计划种植面积的49%。

North Dakota produces about half of the U.S. spring wheat.

北达科他州的春小麦产量约占美国春小麦总产量的一半。

There, growers have planted just 27 percent of their crop, the second lowest amount in around 40 years.

在那里，种植者只播种了种植面积的27%，这是大约40年来小麦播种面积第二低。

"Some farmers have not turned a wheel yet," said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring.

北达科他州农业专员道格·戈林说：“一些农民至今还没开始耕作。”

He added that if farmers are not able to plant a lot of crops quickly, the effects on the world market could be bad.

他还说，如果农民不能迅速种植大量作物，对世界市场的影响可能会很糟糕。

A private group visiting wheat fields in Kansas in mid-May predicted more fields than normal might go unharvested because of drought damage.

5月中旬，一个参观堪萨斯州麦田的私人团体预测，由于旱灾，可能会有比正常情况下更多的麦田没有收成。

About six percent of the state's planted hectares would be abandoned, the latest USDA estimates suggest.

美国农业部的最新估计显示，该州约6%的种植面积将会被遗弃。

But given the drought damage, Kansas State University wheat expert Romulo Lollato thinks the abandonment rate could be higher.

但考虑到旱灾，堪萨斯州立大学的小麦专家罗穆洛·洛拉托认为，弃耕率可能会更高。

In neighboring Colorado, abandonment could top 30 percent, Colorado Wheat Executive Director Brad Erker told tour participants.

科罗拉多小麦公司的执行董事布拉德·厄克告诉参观者们，在邻近的科罗拉多州，弃耕率可能高达30%。

"Wheat yields are affected by weather in May, and we've had a really dry May," said Kansas farmer Vance Ehmke.

堪萨斯州农民万斯·埃姆克说：“小麦产量受5月天气的影响，今年5月天气非常干燥。”

U.S. wheat production has been decreasing because farmers have been planting more corn and soybeans.

美国小麦产量一直在下降，因为农民种植了更多的玉米和大豆。

These crops can produce more profit.

这些作物可以产生更多的利润。

Seed science also has increased yields by 30 percent or more since 2000.

自2000年以来，种子科学也使产量增加了30%或更多。

Wheat's yield has increased only six percent.

小麦产量只增加了6%。

As the planting period in the northern Plains narrows, North Dakota farmers are considering other plans.

随着北部平原种植期的缩短，北达科他州的农民正在考虑其他计划。

These include changing to soybeans, which can be planted later in the spring.

其中包括改种大豆，大豆可以在春末种植。

Another possibility is to fill out documents for crop insurance claims to limit farm losses.

另一种可能的方法是填写农作物保险索赔文件，以限制农业损失。

"It's pretty tempting to file those claims," North Dakota farmer Dwight Grotberg said.

北达科他州的农民德怀特·格罗特伯格说：“索赔是非常诱人的。”

"Once you get into June, you might be lucky to get half a crop. And with costs as high as they are, that's hard to stomach."

“一旦进入6月份，你可能会幸运地收获一半的收成。而考虑到高昂的成本，又很难让人接受。”

I'm John Russell.

约翰·拉塞尔为您播报。