Belgrade, Aug 28 (IANS): Serbia's ongoing drought has drastically lowered crop yields, forcing farmers to start their harvests much earlier than planned, according to local media reports.

Sugar beet harvesting has begun earlier than the usual mid-October timeline, with corn and sunflower harvests also starting about a month and a half ahead of schedule, Xinhua reported quoting Radio Television of Serbia (RTS).

Experts indicate that the drought has sped up the corn harvest, leading to a projected yield decrease of 16 to 20 per cent, it said.

Serbian agroeconomic analyst Zarko Galetin noted that last year's corn yield was around 7.2 tons per hectare, but this year, a yield of 5 to 5.5 tons per hectare would be deemed acceptable.

Galetin also estimated that the drought-related financial losses for fruit and vegetable crops, when adjusted for market prices, could reach around $550 million.

In response, the local government is investing in irrigation systems to support agriculture.

Petar Samolovac, assistant secretary for Agriculture, Water Management, and Forestry in Vojvodina, said that the total investment in these irrigation systems amounts to $6.15 million.