May 22, 2012

 

German winter wheat harvest reduced by frost damage

 

 

Due to frost damage, Germany's winter wheat harvest will be reduced by 9.5% on-year, at 2.870 million hectares in summer 2012, Germany's statistics office said on Monday (May 21).

 

Its plantings estimate for the 2012 harvest also reduced rapeseed sowings by 0.5% on the year to 1.321 million hectares.

 

"The planted area for winter crops in Germany has been reduced significantly because of winter weather damage," the office said.

 

Its figures show German farmers have planted more spring grains and corn to replace frost-damaged crops.

 

The government's forecast confirms market expectations of heavy damage to crops caused by a cold snap in February forecast by Germany's farming cooperatives association.

 

Germany's winter barley planted area, used for animal feed, has also been hurt by the frosts and will be down 8.0% on the year to 1.083 million hectares, the office said.

 

But the rye area is up 9.3% to 0.669 million hectares.

 

"Winter grain areas which suffered weather damage have to a large extent been ploughed up and re-sown with summer grains," the office said.

 

Sowings of spring barley, used for malt and beer production, have been expanded by 29.7% on the year to 0.545 million hectares, it said.

 

The spring wheat area is up sharply by 182% but is still relatively small at 0.193 million hectares.

 

The grain corn area is up 8.4% to 0.529 million hectares. The silo corn area, largely used for biogas and on-farm feeding, is up 6.1% to 2.151 million hectares.

 

The office said its figures are based on a survey undertaken in April.