The lack of rain in some parts of southern Europe will have a negative impact on crops already before the start of the spring season, the European Union’s Crop Monitoring Agency (MARS) announced in its latest review.
According to data from the February MARS, in many European agricultural regions, winter was either common, but without severe frosts, or rather mild. No frost-induced damage to winter crops is expected.
However, dry weather continues to be alarming in several southern regions: southern and central Spain, northern Italy, and western Turkey, where there is a great shortage of precipitation.
Last summer, Western and Southern Europe experienced drought, which had huge negative consequences, especially on corn crops. And now the dry weather is raising fears that water levels and soil moisture will not recover this year either.
In Spain and Italy, the water level in the reservoirs is still low, in addition, there is a lack of snow cover in the mountains, especially in northern Italy. And this water will be needed for watering in spring and summer.
Some are dry in Europe, and in some parts of Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia, as well as in central Romania, excess precipitation is recorded. However, in the near future, drier conditions are predicted in these regions than usual, so the effect of excess moisture on crops is not a cause for concern.
MARS added that in France, which is the EU’s largest grain producer, the lack of precipitation should not yet be seen as a threat, as in some regions it rained a lot at the beginning of winter. The agricultural authority FranceAgriMer reported last week that almost all winter grain crops in the country are in good condition, and the sowing of spring barley is faster than usual.
“However, the risk of drought in France calls into question the potential of summer crops. In the coming weeks, after a particularly dry February, the rain will be very important,” agritel analysts commented.