After yield estimates have been revised downwards in parts Europe, following a challenging start to the year, the European Commission’s farm forecasting body has said persistent dry conditions in Germany and Hungary are significant enough to cause concern.

Although the UK, Spain and France had previously been the focus of weather worries, rains in April which alleviated drought statuses in many areas, including the UK Midlands and South West, may have been enough to assuage the regions’ immediate problems

However, the commission’s Mars Forecasting said this week that the dry conditions may affect wheat yields in Germany, Hungary and other Eastern European states. This is potentially worrying news for the EU, as Germany is the bloc’s second largest wheat grower.

The unfortunate analysis comes just weeks after Paris’ Strategie grains revised yields of winter wheat down in Central and Eastern Europe following severe frost kill in February. Analysts suggested the frost kill would lead to higher plantings of spring grains, though continued insufficient rainfall will make for challenging conditions.  

Although the situation in Germany, as well as in regions of other countries further East, may give cause for concern, the Commission forecasters upped their yield estimates for both France and the UK. Wheat yields for French and UK producers were raised to 7.19 and 8.18 tonnes per hectare respectively.

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