This is how the grain harvest in Europe is progressing

The summer weather in Europe allows the combines to start in many places. First of all, winter barley is on the program. Rapeseed is also being started in France, among others. Crops are particularly affected by drought in Central and Eastern Europe.

The earliest plots of winter barley are expected to start seriously in the Netherlands this week. The early grass seed varieties are also often mowed ready for the combine harvester. Extremely dry and hot summer weather in Germany ensures that the barley is harvested in full. That also applies to France.

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Winter barley threshing in Heilbronn, Germany, with Joachim Rukwied, chairman of the Deutschen Bauernverband. Ruckwied expected losses of 50% to 60% due to drought.

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Further east (Hungary), farmers have now started harvesting rapeseed. Yield expectations for this crop are also poor, due to a difficult spring. It remained cold for a long time, followed by a heat surge. As a result, the crop has developed explosively. It was too dry during the pod filling.

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Winter barley harvest in Brittany. The French government agency Agreste expects a barley harvest to be roughly equal to 2017 and 5% above the 5-year average. The statistical office expects a lower production for rapeseed (-9%). This has everything to do with poor growing conditions. In some departments a 25% lower yield is expected. On average, Agreste sets it at 3,27 tons per hectare.

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In the Belgian coastal region, winter barley is harvested for animal feed, for crushing and acidification. However, dry plots of barley are already being harvested.

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In the Netherlands, farmers and contractors are ready to start. The early winter barley plots will be combined this week.

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In the UK it is unusually dry and warm. The grain harvest starts a little later than on the mainland. Here in eastern England, for the time being, grain is mainly chopped for the production of biogas.

Niels van der Boom

Niels van der Boom is a senior market specialist for arable crops at DCA Market Intelligence. He mainly makes analyses and market updates about the potato market. In columns he shares his sharp view on the arable sector and technology.

n.vanderboom@boerenbusiness. Nl

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