The USDA weekly weather and crop bulletin issued yesterday, 7 May, gives a snapshot of growing conditions and crop status for the main agricultural areas across the globe.

Western Europe

A slow-moving storm brought widespread rain across western and central Europe, whilst in the north and southeast dry conditions favoured fieldwork but reduced soil moisture. Rainfall totaled 10 to nearly 80 mm from central Spain and western France into central Poland and the northern Balkans, maintaining adequate soil moisture for vegetative to reproductive winter crops and summer crop emergence. However, fields may now be too wet for additional maize, sunflower, and sugarbeet planting. Showers slowed winter barley and wheat ripening and harvesting in Spain and northern Italy, where winter crop prospects remained overall excellent. South of the storm, sunny skies and summer-like heat (30-33°C) in the Balkans accelerated wheat growth and increased crop-water demands and evapotranspiration rates. Rain also bypassed northern Germany, where a dry March and April have reduced soil moisture for wheat and rapeseed development. In southeastern England, another dry week was welcomed by producers who are planting spring grains and oilseeds in lieu of poorly established winter crops, after an unfavourably wet autumn.

Eastern Europe

Increasingly dry, warm conditions in the south contrasted with cool, wet weather in the north. Sunny skies and above-normal temperatures (up to 7°C above normal) prevailed across Ukraine and Russia’s Southern District, reducing soil moisture for vegetative to reproductive winter wheat. The dry, occasionally hot weather (daytime highs reaching the lower 30s degrees C) facilitated a rapid pace of fieldwork, including maize and sunflower planting. Meanwhile, widespread rain (10-50 mm) and near-normal temperatures from Belarus into Russia’s Volga District maintained favourable growing conditions for winter grains and oilseeds.

China and East Asia

Rain showers (50-100 mm) from the Yangtze Valley to the southern coast of China boosted moisture supplies for maize and early double-crop rice. Although the rain was unwelcomed for ripening winter rapeseed, drier weather by mid-week eased the wetness. Dry weather continued during grain fill of winter wheat on the North China Plain, and while irrigation supplies were adequate, more rain would benefit development. Weekly temperatures were generally 1 to 3°C above normal in most crop producing zones, promoting development. In northeastern China, average temperatures (10-15 degrees C) were sufficient to allow maize, soybeans, and rice planting, and with abundant soil moisture from above normal winter snow, yield prospects were favourable. Elsewhere in the region, weekly average temperatures between 10 and 15°C promoted rice transplanting on the Korean Peninsula and in Japan.

Australia

Mostly dry, very warm weather continued to favour cotton and sorghum harvesting in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. The dry weather allowed early winter wheat planting to progress, but follow-up rain will be needed in these areas to aid germination and emergence. Farther south, scattered showers (1-9 mm, locally 10-25 mm) in southern New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia provided a needed, albeit small boost in topsoil moisture in advance of wheat, barley, and canola planting. Year-to-date rainfall has generally been below normal in southeastern Australia. As a result, persistent, soaking rains would be welcome throughout this region to encourage winter crop sowing and establishment. Elsewhere in the wheat belt, widespread showers (5-20 mm) in Western Australia helped condition top soils for winter grain and oilseed planting. Temperatures in the Australia wheat belt averaged near to above normal (up to 2°C above normal), with maximum temperatures in the 20s degrees C in most areas.

Argentina

Rain returned to central and northeastern Argentina, slowing harvesting of summer grains, oilseeds, and cotton but increasing moisture for the upcoming winter grain crop. Rainfall totaled 25 to 100 mm from Buenos Aires northward through Corrientes, with amounts in excess of 100 mm over Entre Rios and north central Buenos Aires. In contrast, drier conditions continued in the northwest hastening ripening of summer crops and further limiting moisture for winter crops. Weekly temperatures averaged 2 to 4°C above normal throughout central Argentina, with daytime highs reaching the lower and middle 20s (degrees C). Temperatures stayed well above freezing in most southern farming areas, with patchy frost (nighttime lows near 0°C) confined to central Buenos Aires. According to Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture, corn and soybeans were 53 and 66 percent harvested, respectively, as of May 2, similar to last year’s pace.

Brazil

Mostly dry, unseasonably warm weather dominated Brazil’s main farming areas, hastening crop development and promoting seasonal fieldwork. Little to no rain fell over a broad area ranging from Santa Catarina to the northeastern interior and reaching westward through much of Mato Grosso. Near- to above-normal temperatures accompanied the dryness, fostering rapid growth of secondary (safrinha) corn and cotton and supporting harvesting of sugarcane and maturing row crops, including late-planted soybeans in western Bahia. Conditions also favoured development of citrus and coffee. The pattern of dryness dominating central Brazil is typical of the end of the rainy season, which is usually evident from late April to early May. In contrast, several days of rain (15-100 mm) increased moisture for late-season crop development in Rio Grande do Sul but slowed the final stages of soybean harvesting. Seasonal showers (10-50 mm) also fell along the northeastern coast, increasing moisture reserves for sugarcane and other seasonal crops. Rain is expected this time of year in the far south and along the northeastern coast, making this week’s rain both timely and seasonable.

Canada

Cool, damp weather slowed planting of spring grains and oilseeds, as well as the green up of winter wheat and pastures. Over the past few weeks, the unusually late melting of snow across northern and eastern agricultural districts has resulted in wet fields and flooding; as of May 4, snow still covered the ground in some farming areas of Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. This week, temperatures averaged 2 to 5°C below normal across the Prairies, with nighttime lows falling well below -5°C in most areas. Precipitation was generally scattered and light, though amounts exceeded 10 mm (liquid equivalent) in parts of Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan. Warmer, drier weather is needed to help dry fields and melt the remaining snow cover to avoid significant planting delays.

To view the full report click here