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Harvesting dry wheat is quite a challenge
While the winter wheat harvest started early and smoothly in the south of the country, it has become just as challenging for growers in Central and Northern Netherlands. There, heavy downpours are consistently falling. These are erratic in nature. There are still areas where hardly any rain has fallen. This also applies to the surrounding countries.
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Choose the subscription that suits youThe wheat harvest in the southwest is certainly not over yet. According to CZAV, about three-quarters of the wheat had been harvested by the end of last week. In some areas, that figure was even higher. Little has been harvested in a week. Small showers of rain are also making it difficult to harvest the wheat here.
Weather forecasting itself and its outcomes have rarely been as extreme as this growing season. Significant differences and surprises, but the wheat harvest at home is ready. pic.twitter.com/IOwAW8ultV
— Arable Kroes (@AkkerbouwKroes) July 27, 2025
Crops are ripe
That picture isn't much different at Agrifirm. The south is clearly ahead of the rest. Questions are slowly being raised about whether this type of weather will continue for the summer malting barley. Many crops are now ripe, and it's time to bring in the combine harvester. Fortunately, the winter barley has performed well, both in terms of yield and quality.
Precipitation variations in the Netherlands are particularly large. The south was dry and remains dry. In the southeast, eastern North Brabant, and North Limburg, precipitation amounts have only reached 30 to 40 millimeters this month, while the situation is quite different 300 kilometers to the north. There, precipitation has sometimes even exceeded 150 millimeters. In the north and northeast, the grain harvest, with the exception of winter barley, has yet to fully begin.
Where some has been "stolen" between the showers, moisture percentages aren't quite up to par. Arable farmers are pleased with the good quality figures; the hectoliters are good, and therefore the yields are as well.
Rain falls scattered
No large amounts of rain have fallen in the surrounding countries, but small showers are also hampering the grain harvest there. Southern Germany did experience heavy rainfall last weekend. It remains relatively dry in the east and southeast. The situation is slightly better along the border with the Netherlands. Rain is also falling more sparsely in France, where the grain harvest is largely complete.
Last week we harvested some of the malting barley. We're still busy irrigating. The rain hasn't reached us yet. pic.twitter.com/mTMOYD7eJY
— twan vd heijden ツ (@gerritgaatjes) July 27, 2025
Rain is desirable for the growth of the onions and the main potato crop. Not all the reels are in the shed. Trial harvest figures for the early potatoes also show that the last kilos haven't grown. The main harvest will need to happen in the coming weeks. Occasional showers and moderate temperatures are perfect potato weather.
Better weather on the way
This week we'll continue to experience highly changeable weather. A northwesterly wind will bring cool air and patches of showers. After the first full week of August, current weather models point to a more stable weather pattern. That's still a long way off, but there's a good chance. Looking further afield, higher temperatures from Southern Europe could bring this possibility, but there's considerable uncertainty.