The European Commission is cautiously lowering its expectations for the coming grain harvest. The hectare yield decreases by 2,5% as a result of drought in many European countries. Quality is also questioned in the MARS report.
Weather conditions in May and June have been unusually warm and dry. In many cases the temperature reached record values; including in the Benelux. In Southern Europe the situation is slightly more favorable. Northern and Eastern Europe in particular are experiencing extreme drought.
Less wheat
In the European Union (EU), the hectare yield for wheat is reduced by 1% to an average of 5,79 tonnes per hectare. This is slightly above the 5-year average. Significant reductions in yields are visible in Romania, Bulgaria and Poland. France and Germany write a small minus.
For barley, the reductions are individually larger, but the total average is slightly above last year. Logically, spring barley in particular suffers from a dry spring, rapeseed is also having a hard time. In the EU, the MARS report estimates a lower yield on average (-7,3%). After a very cold start, an explosively warm spring followed.
Fusarium
The EC fears for the quality of French wheat. During the flowering period, heavy showers fell locally, which encouraged fusarium contamination. And the warmer weather (than average) does not help.
Germany has experienced the warmest period since 1975, according to MARS figures. The temperature was on average 3,4 degrees Celsius above multi-year values and the two heat waves led to production cuts. Slightly more rain fell in the west and south compared to the north and east. The grain filling has benefited greatly from this.
The same story applies to Poland, but the situation there is even more extreme. Winter grains and rapeseed have developed poorly due to the wet autumn and winter. Summer grains are also severely affected by the drought.