The latest EU crop monitoring report has detailed how the average yields of the regions key crops are likely to be reduced this coming season.

This is due to a combination of reduced winter area and increased spring area with lower yield potential, as well as weather-related losses due to a tough winter period.

In most of Europe, the 2019/2020 winter was the warmest or one of the warmest on their records. Most regions saw mean daily temperature exceeded the long-term average by 2oC to 4oC.

Significant lack of rainfall was recorded in durum wheat-producing regions (southern Italy, large parts of Spain and Greece), as well as in large parts of Romania, Bulgaria and in the Maghreb region.

Grain

However, in contrast, the report details how the key grain-producing regions in northwestern Europe, such as France, Germany and the UK, faced excessively wet conditions.

In these regions, winter crops often did not establish well and necessary field operations were hampered.

Spring crop sowings are also delayed in these regions and the more settled weather forecast for the second half of March may not be sufficient to allow field operations to fully catch up.

Ireland

The report details how Ireland has experienced persistent rain over the winter period. Rainfall was particularly abundant in February, which became the second-wettest February in the 40 years of records.

The report continues and states that, due to the wet soil conditions, the majority of winter cereals have not yet received the recommended applications of herbicide and fertiliser.

However, the bulletin stated that despite the less than favourable start to the season, good yields are still possible if conditions improve in the coming weeks.

At this early stage in the season, the forecast for all crops are still based on the historical yield trend, slightly above the five year average.