EU heading for average yields but German crops under drought pressure

While the EU’s MARS crop forecasting service continues to predict an average year for yields, there are worries for certain areas including Germany where rainfall over the past 90 days has been only 50 to 60% of normal volume.

Like France and the UK, crops in south eastern Europe, Romania and Bulgaria have had good rainfall over the past month, said the USA’s Martell Crop Projections service in its latest report.

“However, stubborn drought has persisted in Germany, Europe’s largest rapeseed grower and second biggest wheat country,” said the report.

“Crop yields in Germany may turn out very poor, as the dry conditions began more than three months ago. It would be hard to recapture a normal yield in rapeseed and wheat, when only 50-60% of normal rainfall has been received in the recent 90 days.

“Prolonged drought also has damaged winter wheat in Poland, Slovakia and Czech Republic, as shown on the 90-day European rainfall map.”

HGCA’s latest crop condition report shows good yield potential, but high disease pressure with very visible problems of poor black-grass control in some wheat crops, along with patches of BYDV infection in some cereals.