MARS is pulling back the yield prospects for the EU harvest in 2021 a little. In its Aug.21 issue, the Agrometeorological Institute of the EU Commission (MARS) predicts slightly lower grain yields on average for the 2021 harvest. But the results are very different in the individual regions. The basis is the evaluations of the current climate data, which are closely related to the area yields. In the most recent observation period from July 2021, western parts of eastern Europe were affected by high temperatures. There was also a heat wave in northern Italy and in the neighboring countries of the Adriatic Sea. In the Baltic states up to Finland there were above-average degrees of Celsius. Lack of rain was found only in western part of Poland and northern part of Romania. The delays in vegetation development in spring have now been made up for. The late summer crops have caught up. Recently, rainfall has delayed harvesting operations.In some regions, thunderstorms caused crop losses. The grain qualities leave a lot to be desired. The climate evaluations by MARS showed an EU average increase in grain yields of + 5% above the 5-year average . Common wheat is slightly lower, but winter barley is only estimated at + 3.6% . Rye is even expected to increase by + 7.6%. On the other hand, a yield increase of only + 2% is expected for K. maize. MARS estimates the rapeseed yield to be + 5.2% above the 5-year average. Depending on regional weather developments, the results vary in the individual EU member states. Above-average growth is forecast for Romania (+ 12%) and Bulgaria (+ 5.6%) in a five-year comparison. An increase of + 7.6% is expected for France.Germany's earnings are expected to increase by + 3.9% . Significantly lower volumes are expected for Finland (-10%), Portugal (-4.7%) and some Baltic states. The area yields vary widely depending on the soil, climate and production technology. For wheat , the results range from around 87 dt / ha in Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland to below 25 dt / ha in Portugal and Greece. For grain maize, the range extends from 120 dt / ha in Spain and Greece, 100 dt / ha in Italy to 60 dt / ha in Poland and Romania. The rapeseed yields vary from 40 dt / ha in Belgium and Denmark to 22 dt / ha in Spain and up to 14 dt / ha in Finland. For Z. beet , yield changes of -0.2% are expected on average in the EU. An increase of 2.4% is predicted for Germany.MARS estimates an increase of + 5.1% for potatoes . Poland with + 10% and Germany with + 7.6% stand out in particular. When compared to the previous year , the majority of the changes remain within a narrow range from slightly unchanged to slightly increasing .
