IRRIGATION CONDITIONS OF THE DANUBE -TISZA RIVER VALLEY

In Hungary irrigation is indispensable in modern agricultural production because of Hungary’s continental climate and the uneven and few amount of rainwater. The water channelled to the fields in time and to the right place can increase the quality as well as the quantity of agricultural products. As a result of interrogation also we can observe favourable changes in the structure of the soil. One of the basic aims of irrigation is to improve the food supply of the ever increasing population. In Hungary the size of the territory authorized for irrigation is about 200 thousand hectare, about 5% of the cultivated area, but the watered area in reality is about half of that, depending on year it happens. 80% of the irrigated areas can be found in Hajdú-Bihar, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Békés, Csongrád and Bács-Kiskun counties. About two-thirds of irrigation water is provided by water works such as ones in Tiszalök, Kisköre, the barrage in Békésszentandrás and their sub-canals such as ones called Eastern-, Western-, and Nagykunsági main canal. The importance of irrigation leads to use of the existing capacity much more but agricultural producers can not improve irrigation system, because the agricultural production do not provide enough income for them. Mainly crops, seed-corn, fruit and vegetables, both of international and home markets as well as food-processing industry demand continuous and good quality of yields which can be proved by the irrigation.