May 04, 2011

Intense April drought threatens European wheat

European wheat and rapeseed crops are in danger following an extremely dry April, agricultural weather forecaster Martell Crop Projections said.

"Rain is needed immediately to avoid serious losses. Wheat and rapeseed in France, Germany and the UK are ready to deteriorate rapidly, without rain," said Gail Martell, the head of the Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin-based forecaster.

Wheat and rapeseed are at an "important tipping point" because stored soil moisture from the winter has been used up, Martell said. The meteorologist said 65% of European wheat and 75- 80% of rapeseed are in jeopardy.

Wheat is the European Union's second-largest agricultural export after wine, with an average value of EUR3.45 billion (US$5.1 billion) a year from 2008 to 2010, according to the EU. The 27-nation bloc is a net importer of oilseeds.

"Stress is already manifesting in wheat and rapeseed, made worse by unusual April heat," Martell said. "The forecast is dry across northern Europe."

Crop development in northern Europe is three to four weeks ahead of normal growth, Martell said. Conditions from February to April have been "much drier" than in 2010, when the region had an "average" wheat harvest, the meteorologist said.

In France, dry conditions and above-average temperatures in April are likely to result in an "early harvest" in June, Martell said. Germany received "useful rainfall" in late April that "stemmed the tide of deterioration," while April drought in the UK was "intense with virtually no rain," she said.