Europe Dryness Promotes Fieldwork; Winter Crops Need Rain
By Andrew Owen and Drew Lerner
Kansas City, September 29 (World Weather Inc.) – A majority of Europe outside the United Kingdom is dealing with dryness. The recent lack of significant rain promoted aggressive summer crop maturation and harvesting. However, France and portions of the Balkan region have been dealing with dryness for a few months resulting in some unirrigated crop production cuts. Europe will continue to experience warm weather 
coupled with drier than normal conditions during the next two weeks. Maturation and harvesting of summer crops will advance swiftly. Concern over winter wheat, barley, rye and rapeseed planting will rise over the next few weeks if the drier than usual bias prevails.
The Balkan countries, east-central and southeastern Germany and the United Kingdom reported near or slightly above average precipitation during the 30-day period ending Sep. 28 while the remaining production areas in Europe were largely drier than normal. The Baltic States, Poland, northern Ukraine, France, and western Germany were among the driest areas in Europe with most areas receiving less than 50% of normal rainfall.
Numerous locations in these drier biased areas have received less than 25% of normal precipitation and portions of France, Ukraine, southeastern Bulgaria and Spain have been drier than usual for multiple months resulting in the greatest concern over dryness. There is still plenty of time for the driest areas to get rain so that 
planting and crop establishment can advance favorably, but October and early November will be a very important time to get that moisture and leave enough time for crops to emerge and establish before dormancy sets in.
Despite portions of the Balkans receiving near normal precipitation in recent weeks, soil moisture shortages were noted in much of Europe outside the United Kingdom. Moisture shortages are most severe in France due to an extended period of drier than normal conditions. Areas from Romania through western Ukraine are also significantly dry. Soil moisture in the United Kingdom is generally adequate.
Maturation and early harvesting of the summer crops advanced swiftly in recent weeks for much of the production region. Production cuts are expected for the corn, sunseed, and other coarse grains and oilseeds produced in France due to dryness issues that date back to July in some areas. Minor production cuts will be possible in Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine as well. Yields in most other countries will be near 
normal.
A recent report from Romania claimed that recent rainfall improvements in the previously driest areas have occurred in time to support winter grain and oilseed planting. The Sunseed harvest has concluded, but yields are down in the drought-stricken areas. The report also claimed much variety in corn yield and production from one region to another across the nation.
A report from Ukraine recently suggested autumn planting was moving along at a pace slower than last year which was behind the 5-year average, as well. However, with talk of rain coming into the region in the next couple of weeks producers are expected to advance with fieldwork at a very fast pace in the next few weeks. World Weather, Inc. believes rain will fall in some of the driest areas during the coming week, but not all of Ukraine’s dry region will get meaningful rain and the situation will need to be closely monitored. The same report also claimed that yields of corn and sunseed in some Ukraine locations may be off this year because of dryness.
World Weather, Inc. forecasts and comments pertaining to present, past and future weather conditions included in this report constitute the corporation’s judgment as of the date of this report and are subject to change without notice. Comments regarding damage or the impact of weather on agricultural and energy as well as comments made regarding the impact of weather on the commodity and financial markets are the explicit opinions of World Weather, Inc. World Weather, Inc. can not be held responsible for decisions made by users of the Corporation’s information in any business, trade or investment decision.
©2016 World Weather, Inc. Any unauthorized redistribution, duplication or disclosure is prohibited by law and will result in prosecution.