MARS estimates -1.8% lower winter grain yields - rapeseed yields +6.8% higher than last year The agricultural meteorological institute of the EU Commission (MARS) has published a 1st forecast for the expected grain and rapeseed yields in 2020 after evaluating the climate data to date. On average in the EU , winter cereals are expected to decline by 1.8% compared to the previous year. Winter wheat with -2.2% and winter barley with -3.4% are the worst performers in a year-on-year comparison . In France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany , unfavorable sowing conditions have given winter cereals a bad start. Heavy precipitation has fallen over the winter months, which has prevented the roots from penetrating into deeper soil layers. The wet and mild winter has increased the development of the pest potential. A higher fungal attack is assumed in particular. But early vegetation development can be observed.Therefore, MARS estimates the 2020 yields to be approx. 2.3% above the 5 year average . Rainfall has fallen too low in large parts of Spain, southern Italy and Greece , so that the prospects of yield hardly exceed the multi-year average. The Scandinavian countries like Denmark Finland also have to expect weak results. Parts of the Baltic region are also affected. In Southeastern Europe, weak earnings are expected in Bulgaria and Hungary , while above-average results are predicted for Romania . The rapeseed yields in 2020 are expected to be around +6.5% and 5 % higher than +3% . The MARS estimate is therefore significantly higher than the most recent COCERAL forecast.
