Large parts of Europe experienced lower than average temperatures in April. In the area around the Mediterranean Sea, there is also a shortage of precipitation. This has inhibited the growth of winter cereals and rapeseed and has slowed down sowing and planting, among other things, summer grain, beetroot and potatoes. However, according to the analysts of the European Commission, this will not lead to lower returns for the time being.
It is still early in the season and the cold and drought have little influence on the final yield of arable crops, the analysts say in the April MARS Bulletin. Viticulture and fruit growing have suffered a lot of damage from the cold period.
late spring
The development of winter grains is lagging somewhat behind the multi-year average, especially in Eastern Europe, Ukraine and Russia. Wheat has been wintered on a small scale in Russia. The rainfall at the end of March in Russia has a positive influence on yield potential - although it has caused some delays in the sowing of summer grain. The expected grain yields for this season are estimated in the MARS Bulletin to be above the 5-year average for almost all European countries.
No damage in potatoes
The cold weather causes delays in planting potatoes. The early potatoes that were in the ground at the beginning of April in the large cultivation areas suffered little or no damage from the frost because they were not yet at the top. Later planting and low temperatures slow down growth. Growth this season is already several weeks behind the long-term average.
The late start has no influence on the hectare yields. These are estimated to be equal to or above average for almost all of Europe. Only in Italy and Sweden are the yields estimated as below average.
In Germany and Poland, sugar beets were sown on average 7 to 10 days later than normal due to the low temperatures. Beet growers in France have used the relatively warm period at the beginning of March to sow beets. The frost at the beginning of April caused considerable damage there. The MARS Bulletin expects that 10% of the French area will have to be resown. On reference date April 20, approximately 90% of the European beet area had been sown.