MARS continues to reduce yield estimates In its latest July issue, the EU Commission's Agrometeorological Institute (MARS) has significantly reduced the yield estimates from the previous month. Based on the climate data in the period from Anf. June to mid-July 2023, the average grain yield is -1% lower than the previous month, but still at the level of a 5-year average. For the individual types of grain, the results vary depending on the time of harvest. At -2%, wheat performed significantly weaker than winter barley, with an unchanged result. Rye is rated even worse by -3%. Spring barley is at a low yield of -14% below the multi-year average. Rapeseed yields were also rated lower by -3% on the previous month, but still remain above the 5-year average. The climatic conditions in the EU were very different in the June/July study period. A heat wave in southern Spain hit the already dry country hard again. In Spain and Portugal, grain yields are around-40% below the multi-year average. Northern Italy was also hit by maximum temperatures. Above- average temperatures prevailed in a strip from northern France across the Benelux countries to Schleswig-Holstein. Regions from southern Germany through Poland to the Baltic States experienced a pronounced deficit in precipitation . This also affected the southern part of the Scandinavian countries. Conversely, there was excess rainfall in the mountainous regions of southern France, as well as in Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and western parts of Romania and Bulgaria. In these regions, 10 to 20% higher yields per hectare are expected. Compared to previous years (tenths), the spread of the regional area yields is getting larger. For the overall result of an EU harvest, it is essential to what extent cultivation-intensive areas are affected by the respective weather conditions or not.
