The Italian government is poised to appoint a special commissioner to deal with the country's drought crisis.

Several Italian states have requested a state of emergency as the country swelters through a record drought, risking 40 percent of national farm output.

The Po River, which is the country's longest and most important source of natural water, is at just a quarter of its capacity.

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According to President of the Po District Civil Protection Authority, Giampaolo Zucchi, time is running out. 

"It is a very serious situation because it has persisted for many months, from a dry autumn last year to a winter with little snow and a very hot spring," he said. "This year we had 120 days without rain."

In addition, temperatures have been hovering at 3 to 4 degrees celsius above average.

At the moment the mouth of the river in the province of Ferrara, within Emilia-Romagna, the flow is 164 cubic meters a second while last year at this time it was 800 cubic meters a second, according to Secretary General of the Po River District Authority, Meuccio Berselli,

The northern regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna have asked the government to declare a state of emergency to activate federal assistance.

The district produces 40 percent of Italy's agriculture.

"We have problems with corn, tomatoes, Turkish grain and all the agriculture that contributes significantly to national GDP, as this region produces 40 percent of Italy's agriculture," says Berselli.

The Po basin is also responsible for 55 percent of Italy's hydroelectricity, which is operating at less than 60 percent capacity.

"The economic impact is enormous but also the environmental impact because to substitute the current generated by hydroelectricity we have to burn fossil fuels, so we emit carbon dioxide, and pay a lot for gas," explains Berselli

Water restrictions have been imposed in the worst-affected areas and authorities are on high alert for bushfires.

"There is a big concern about the high fire risk and so we're focusing on all the prevention methods possible – including educating residents. For example, a cigarette butt is enough to start a fire that will burn out of control," says Zucchi.