EU winter crops mostly in fair condition

Heavy rainfall hampered crops in north-western France 

The heavy rainfall observed in north-western France in January, combined with the already high soil moisture levels and relatively low temperatures, created unfavourable conditions for crop development.

Precipitation deficit raises concerns in central and eastern Europe

A distinct rainfall deficit is observed in much of central and eastern Europe. Winter crops in western Romania and Bulgaria have suffered from limited water availability since the start of the season, leading to possible crop area reduction and resowing in spring. A concern in these regions is that there is little or no snow cover, so winter crops are exposed to an increased risk of frost kill in the event of an intense cold spell, such as that forecast immediately after the reporting period.

In eastern Ukraine, the ongoing precipitation deficit has prevented any crop recovery from the poor conditions during emergence. The lack of snow cover and expected colder-than-usual conditions raise additional concerns.

South-eastern crop regions of Türkiye have been experiencing a water deficit since late December. The lack of precipitation may affect those fields that are not irrigated and raise concerns about the sustainability of the water reservoirs throughout the season.

Drought has again thwarted yield expectations in the western and central Maghreb

An extensive overview of crop conditions in the Maghreb is given in a specific section of this edition of the JRC MARS Bulletin.

Further information 

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