In its latest report on the state of the EU's main agricultural crops to 13 August, the European Commission's Seeds Service noted heavy and frequent rainfall in central and northern Europe, coupled with hot and dry weather in the south in countries around the Mediterranean. At the EU level, this leads to a marginal decrease in the average soft wheat yield, now estimated at 578kg/dk, against 580kg a month ago and 579kg on average over the last 5 years. The estimate for the average durum wheat yield, however, has been raised, again marginally by 2kg to 341kg/dk, against an average of 350kg over the last 5 years

Hot and dry weather

The estimate for average barley yield (winter and spring) is unchanged at 474kg/dk, against a 489kg average to date, with the winter estimate raised by 1kg to 592kg and the spring estimate lowered by 2kg to 360kg, against a 419kg average over the last 5 years. Because of the hot and dry weather in southern Europe, the corn yield estimate is among the most significantly downgraded, by 8kg to 745kg/dk, which is already below the last 5-year average of 748kg/dk. Yields of rye and triticale are among the increases, at 412kg/dk and 431kg/dk, they will also be 4% and 2% above the last 5-year average respectively

The EC seed office have also lowered minimum and average yields rapeseed yield at EU level by 1kg to 319kg/dk, against a 5-year average of 310kg. Although also mainly grown in the south, sunflower is the only spring crop whose yield is up, and by 6kg to 218kg/dk, against a 221kg average over the last 5 years. The EC explains the increase by improved prospects for the oilseed crop in France and Spain, which more than offset the deterioration in Bulgaria. The average soya bean yield is among the lower by 6kg to 282kg/dk, against 276kg average for the last 5 years.