Most cereal crops in the European Union continued to benefit from the favorable weather last month, although a lack of winter hardiness could make some plants susceptible to frost, the EU harvest monitoring service MARS said on Tuesday.
Frost tolerance build-up has generally been weak in central, eastern and south-eastern Europe, MARS said, stressing that the risk may be greater along the Black Sea, where plant development has been delayed by late sowing.
Winter grain sowing was practically complete in most parts of Europe by early November, but continued for a few more weeks in Romania, Bulgaria and also in non-EU neighbor Ukraine, MARS said in its monthly report.
MARS reported last month that planting and emergence had been delayed in parts of central and south-eastern Europe due to dry weather.
However, their simulations indicated that no frost had occurred in the EU so far, added MARS.
In northern and central Europe, above-average temperatures and near-season rainfall in November favored plant emergence and early development, said MARS.
In Western Europe, and particularly in France, the EU's leading grain producer, below-average temperatures have hampered the early growth of winter wheat since the beginning of October, with only a few fields reaching the tillering stage, according to the harvest monitor.
Harvest conditions are being closely monitored after worries over reduced global supply led to record prices for wheat and canola in Europe in recent weeks.
The National Institute for Agricultural and Marine Products, FranceAgriMer, points out very good early conditions for French wheat and barley.
In initial forecasts for next year's harvest, the grain trade association Coceral forecast on Monday a decline in common wheat production and an increase in rapeseed production for the EU plus Great Britain.
MARS does not provide area estimates, but issues yield forecasts later in the growing season.
The December report was postponed from Monday due to a technical problem.
Source
Hansa Terminhandel GmbH
