Severe night frosts and persistent drought mean that the crops in Poland develop only with difficulty. The early potatoes, as well as rapeseed and early sown maize, have been hit by the frost.
Spring started relatively late in Poland this year. The main crop for ware potatoes is therefore only just emerging, partly because it is very dry. Frost damage is therefore not so bad, say insiders. The situation is different for the early potatoes. Reports are coming from Central Poland, among others, that early potatoes have been damaged by frost.
Night frost to -6
Where it is record warm in Western Europe – especially France and Spain – the situation is different in Poland. A cold front from Russia and the Baltic states has recently ensured that the temperature has been and is relatively low. At night, the mercury dropped to -4 to -6 degrees locally last week.
Drought is especially an issue for the grains. On the sandy soils, it is now suffering considerably from a lack of precipitation. With rapeseed, the situation is different. The crop is very sensitive during the flowering period and that can cost yield. The early sown maize has also been hit, but can recover from this.
Changeable weather
It is not uncommon that after Ice Saints, Zimna Zośka in Polish, there is still night frost. This year the frost in Central and Eastern Poland is relatively late. During the day the mercury reached levels of 20 degrees, although this week more moderate temperatures are given with the occasional splash of rain. Almost the same as the weather in the Netherlands.
The month of May brought hardly any precipitation in large parts of Poland. For the time being, this does not cause major problems, because the crops do not evaporate much yet. Winter cereals and rapeseed in particular could use some water. Rain is now required for spring crops.