The cold snap which hit Europe from the end of January, into February has had minimal effects for Europe’s crops. Although there were fears the plummeting temperatures could kill off crops, French analyst Strategie Grains has only reduced its forecast for Europe’s wheat crops by 0.5 per cent.

Growers had expressed concerns that February’s cold snap could kill off plants, especially fruit trees, but also wheat and rapeseed crops, which were beginning to show the first signs of spring thanks to an incredibly mild winter.

Some parts of Europe saw temperatures plummet to -30^oC, which has led many analysts to defer altering forecasts until spring growth resumes. However, Strategie put its forecast just 600,000 tonnes down at 132.7 million tonnes for the EU-27, forecasting a rise overall.

The analysts said that it believed the freezing conditions, though appalling in some regions, would not affect most areas any worse than winter conditions in a “normal year” and that damaged winter wheat fields could be reseeded with spring varieties.

The Ukraine, which is working increasingly closely with the EU, has been particularly badly affected this month; autumn drought conditions gave way to freezing winter temperatures in February. It is estimated that half of the country’s winter plantings will have to be replanted this spring, though agriculture officials have said there are no plans to limit exports.

Wheat markets have risen over the past weeks, as there is speculation that the extreme weather in the Ukraine will affect the country’s production. Ukraine is the world’s seventh largest wheat producer.   

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