EU crops off to a promising start

Continued precipitation deficit increases concerns in parts of central and eastern Europe

A distinct precipitation deficit is observed in much of central and eastern Europe, with winter crops in western Romania and Bulgaria suffering from limited water availability since the start of the season. In eastern parts of Ukraine, the limited precipitation has prevented any crop recovery from the poor conditions during plant emergence. The lack of snow cover and expected colder-than-usual conditions raise additional concerns. In other parts of central and eastern Europe, crops are mostly in good condition, but rainfall is imminently needed as winter crops restart growing.

Heavy rainfall benefited crops but also raised concerns in the Iberian Peninsula and France 

Heavy rainfall in January and early March restored soil moisture to adequate levels in the Iberian Peninsula, sustaining a positive outlook for the winter crop season. However, additional intense rainfall events, as currently forecast, could negatively affect crop development and delay sowing operations for summer crops. In contrast, above-average rainfall has adversely affected root systems in northern France, and some fields might be replanted with summer crops.

Maghreb region faces mixed crop prospects

In the Maghreb region, severe dry conditions since autumn have hampered crop growth in Morocco and western Algeria, resulting in far below-average yield expectation. Conversely, in the central and north-eastern regions of Algeria, significant rainfall in February has enabled winter crops to start recovering.

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