The latest international weather and crop report from the USDA, published 4 June, shows mixed blessings in the US and Canada. But good conditions for harvest in Argentina and beneficial rains in Australia.

Europe

Below-normal temperatures and widespread heavy rain caused lowland flooding, halted fieldwork, and slowed crop development.

While most major crop regions in Europe received rainfall, precipitation was heaviest in maize districts of southwestern France (maximum value of 103 mm) as well as rapeseed and barley areas of central and southern Germany (peak of 172 mm). The wet weather was generally beneficial for summer crops but untimely for maturing winter grains and oilseeds. In addition, temperatures up to 6°C below normal further slowed crop development, with winter grains and oilseeds already lagging behind by 10 to 14 days due to an abnormally cold spring. In contrast to the heavy rain, somewhat drier conditions in Spain and central and southern Italy allowed many producers to resume winter grain harvesting. Showers (10-30 mm) in northern Italy continued to make maize planting difficult on the heels of recent torrential rainfall.

Russia, Ukraine

Showers and thunderstorms provided much-needed soil moisture and heat relief to winter wheat, although heat and pockets of dryness maintained crop stress in some southern wheat areas.

Increasing showers provided much-needed soil moisture and heat relief to some key southern winter wheat areas. Rainfall amounts totaled 3 to 40 mm in Russia's Southern District, the country's primary winter wheat producer; however, crop conditions remained mixed due to the highly variable rain amounts. Temperatures above 30°C in southern Russia maintained high crop-water demands and increased stress on maturing winter wheat. Farther west, rain bypassed southern-most portions of Ukraine, where locally poor growing conditions due to dryness and heat contrasted with generally favorable crop prospects elsewhere in Ukraine. Across the remainder of the region, widespread showers and thunderstorms (10-60 mm) maintained adequate to abundant soil moisture for vegetative maize and sunflowers.

USA

Heavy rain and strong thunderstorms battered the nation's mid-section, sharply limiting fieldwork and causing localized wind damage. In advance of the latest round of stormy weather, corn planting neared completion in the eastern Corn Belt. However, the remainder of the Midwest continued to struggle to plant remaining acreage, including a substantial portion of the soybean crop. Heavy rain also soaked the northern Plains, similarly halting fieldwork. Spring wheat planting, which had been complete a year ago by the end of May, barely advanced in Montana and North Dakota. Meanwhile, Oklahoma endured another round of deadly tornadoes in late May, along with flooding rains.

Maize: by week's end, 91 percent of this year's corn crop was planted, 9 percentage points behind last year and 4 points behind the 5-year average. 74 percent of the corn crop had emerged by June 2, twenty-two percentage points behind last year and 8 points behind the 5-year average. Producers in portions of the Corn Belt were monitoring the crop for damage caused by standing water. Overall, 63 percent of the corn crop was reported in good to excellent condition, compared with 72 percent at the same time last year.
Soybeans: producers had planted 57 percent of the nation's soybean crop by June 2. This was 36 percentage points behind last year and 17 points behind the 5-year average, and represents the slowest planting pace since 1996, when 45 percent of the crop was planted on June 2. Nationwide, 31 percent of the soybean crop had emerged by week's end, 45 percentage points behind last year and 18 points behind the 5-year average.
Winter Wheat: heading of this year's winter wheat crop advanced to 73 percent by week's end, 15 percentage points behind last year and 7 points behind the 5-year average. Overall, 32 percent of the winter wheat crop was reported in good to excellent condition, up slightly from last week but 20 percentage points below the same time last year.

Canada

Canadian prairies: heavy rain slowed spring grain and oilseed planting across the south and northwest, but conditions for fieldwork improved elsewhere.
Southeastern Canada: warm, showery weather maintained mostly favorable conditions for development of winter wheat, summer crops, and pastures.

Argentina

Mostly dry, warm weather promoted harvesting of summer grains, oilseeds, and cotton.
According to Argentina's Ministry of Agriculture, corn and soybeans were 69 and 94 percent harvested, respectively, as of June 3, at least 5 points ahead of last year's pace for both crops. In addition, peanuts — mostly produced in Cordoba — were 50 percent harvested versus 24 percent last season.

Brazil

Unseasonable rain boosted moisture for late corn and cotton development, though seasonal fieldwork was likely affected.


South Asia

The timely onset of the monsoon across southwestern India prompted widespread planting in this area. Planting started throughout the peninsular region, while farmers in central and western India will wait for the rains before beginning planting. Pre-monsoon showers continued in northeastern India and Bangladesh, encouraging early transplanting of rice (the monsoon typically arrives in these areas the second week of June). Hot weather continued in areas where rainfall had yet to develop in northern India which stressed vegetative cotton and rice despite adequate irrigation supplies.


China

Unwelcomed showers raised quality concerns for mature winter wheat on the North China Plain, while more rain is needed for corn establishment in northeastern China.

In northeastern China, dry weather continued and this area has not received appreciable rainfall since May 20 and more rainfall is needed to aid maize establishment. Emerging maize, soybean, and rice in central and eastern portions of Heilongjiang, however, benefited from additional rainfall. Farther south on the North China Plain, the unwelcomed rain raised concerns over wheat quality and harvest conditions. In contrast periodic showers across the Yangtze Valley and southern China maintained abundant moisture supplies for summer crops and eased developing dryness in southeastern provinces.

Australia

Soaking rains favored winter grain and oilseed development in the west and southeast, helping maintain good early season crop prospects. Widespread showers in Western Australia continued to help wheat, barley, and oilseed rape establishment, maintaining good early season crop prospects. Similarly, soaking rains throughout most of South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales benefited winter grains and oilseeds, helping germination and emergence. In southern Queensland, mostly dry weather slowed early winter wheat development but favoured late summer crop harvesting. Temperatures in southern Queensland and Western Australia were generally seasonable, while in southeastern Australia temperatures averaged 1 to 2°C above normal.

The full report can be read here