MARS cuts EU 2024 maize outlook after hot weather in southeast
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PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) -European Union crop monitoring service MARS on Monday cut most of its forecasts for average grain yields in the EU this year, with the sharpest drop for maize and sunflower which suffered from hot and dry weather in the southeastern part of the bloc.
Grain and oilseed crops have faced adverse yet contrasting weather this year with excessive rainfall in the north hurting winter cereals, notably wheat which is on track for its smallest crop since 2020, and drought in the south hurting summer crops.
"In large parts of southern-central and south-eastern Europe, June and July were exceptionally hot, with several days with maximum temperatures above 35°C, negatively affecting summer crops around flowering," MARS said in a monthly report.
A lack of rain in eastern Hungary, eastern Romania and Bulgaria exacerbated these negative impacts, it added.
Nearly 2 million hectares of maize and sunseed crops have been affected by drought in Romania so far this year, causing significant damage, the country's farm minister said last week.
MARS now expects the maize yield at 7.24 metric tons per hectare (t/ha), down from 7.55 t/ha forecast in June and 4% below last year. For sunflower, it cut its yield estimate by 5% from last month, now stable on 2023 at 2.09 t/ha.
An exception to the overall mediocre yield outlook was spring barley for which MARS raised its yield forecast by 1% to 4.44 t/ha, now 9% above the five-year average thanks to favourable conditions in Spain and northern Europe.
In contrast it sharply cut the yield estimate for winter barley to 5.76 t/ha from 5.96 t/ha, now 4% below 2023, due to excessive rainfall.
It also cut the rapeseed yield this year to 3.10 t/ha, from 3.16 t/ha forecast last month. It also cited below-average yields in France where harvest is underway.
For soft wheat, the most produced cereal in the bloc, MARS kept its yield estimate nearly unchanged at 5.87 t/ha, against 5.86 t/ha in June and 5.81 t/ha last year.
For sugar beet, the EU yield was projected at 73.4 t/ha, down from 74.4 t/ha expected in June and now in line with the five-year average.
Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide, editing by Gus Trompiz and David Evans
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