(ANSA-AP) - BERLIN, JULY 31 - The German Farmers' Association
is asking the government for 1 billion euros ($1.17 billion) in
subsidies to help cover losses from this year's harvest,
affected by the continuing drought and heat across large
stretches of Europe. Association president Joachim Rukwied says
German farmers expect the grain harvest to be 20 percent smaller
than last year, with rapeseed crops down 30 percent. Other crops
are expected to be smaller, too, as it has barely rained during
the past 12 weeks. Temperatures may hit an annual high Tuesday
of up to 39 C (102 F) in some regions of Germany. Nuclear power
stations are reducing output because river waters used to cool
the power plants have heated up so much that fish are dying in
rivers like the Rhine or the Elbe. (ANSA-AP).
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