Not all growing areas receive rainfall

The difference between last week and today's situation is about 20 degrees and quite a few millimeters. The KNMI even issued a warning this morning (7 July) for extreme precipitation in the Noordoostpolder and Friesland. Along the IJsselmeer it did indeed lead to heavy precipitation. precipitation. Well 100 millimeters or more. That also happened last week in the Achterhoek. Especially the west of the Netherlands got significant rain in the past 24 hours, which is more than welcome for the crops.

Wet in France
In Belgium, the most precipitation fell around Brussels and it remained relatively dry on the coast, as it has been all year. Fans of the Tour de France could already see during the Sunday stage that it rained quite a bit in Northern France. In the northwest, up to Normandy, about 25 to 50 millimeters fell. This follows a period of heat, with the mercury rising to 40 degrees in the middle of the country. At the end of June, there were also local downpours in the north of France, but on average it remained dry.

Further east in Europe it remained largely dry. Germany is now also experiencing some precipitation, but it is not much. Only in the extreme southwest of the country can heavy rain fall. The entire eastern side of the country, from the Baltic Sea to Bavaria, is very dry. The border region with the Netherlands is doing (slightly) better.

Wear and tear
It is noticeable that the potato and onion crops have been wearing out considerably over the past fourteen days. The early potato varieties in particular, such as an Innovator, are already showing signs of wear. In the Netherlands, this is most noticeable in the southern provinces. The further north you go, the more precipitation fell, and the fresher the crops. This is partly due to the sowing and planting dates. Some were already planted in March, which means that the crops have been growing for almost 100 days and are now aging. A week with strong winds, followed by the extreme temperatures last week, have ensured that the crops are ripening further.

In the EU-4, this picture is visible in more places, although the amount of precipitation is decisive for the picture. This does not mean that the yields are not there, but the weather does have an impact. It can make the difference for the last 5%. Also from the first revenue figures Early potato yields in Belgium have been found to be lagging behind.

Barley yield indicator
The yields of winter barley are usually a good indicator for other crops. Based on that, the signal is positive, as far as kilos are concerned. The harvest of the barley is almost complete. Threshing was able to proceed smoothly as a result of the high temperatures, with barley sometimes being brought in with only 10% moisture. Yields of 9 to 10 tonnes per hectare are normal, with peaks of around 12 tonnes. Whether the wheat will also perform in this way depends a lot on the drought damage. In dry regions, the wheat is showing its true colours and the summer heat is expected to cost some of the last kilos.

A northerly wind will ensure that we are now free of the high temperatures, which will fluctuate between 20 and 25 degrees in the coming ten days. When the wind turns more to the east later in July, the heat will return and it will also remain relatively dry. The current weather models assume that this type of weather will be used in July. In addition, thunderstorms may occur locally, with heavy precipitation. However, that will be in a very small area.

Early and smooth harvest
If it does indeed remain warm and dry, farmers in the EU-4 can head for a very early and smooth harvest. The wheat harvest is about to begin. A single plot was even harvested in Zeeland at the end of last week. A significant part of the wheat can be in before 1 August, as also happened in 2018. The harvesting of the plant onions is going well, but the seed onions still have a while to go. The potatoes will also be presenting themselves early.