Global Crop Weather Highlights

19/05/11 -- World agri-weather highlights from the excellent Martell Crop Projections:

  • Strong warming Canada prairies improves field drying, planting conditions; US grain belt weather very cool, slowing field drying and seed germination; wet forecast very detrimental in northern spring wheat; not all the intended wheat will get planted

  • Brazil continues extremely dry; no significant rainfall past 6 weeks in Mato Grosso and Parana; worries over damage late-developing corn (safrahina); forecast finally calling for some rain

  • Argentina wheat planting conditions unfavourable, too cool and dry Buenos Aires province; forecast still dry next 7 days; April-May dryness favoured summer crop harvesting; not a great finish for soybeans filling pods

  • Europe drought worries persist; way below normal rains the past 60s days; rapeseed and wheat prospects deteriorating; forecast a little more hopeful for showers the next week; heat would persist also, most pronounced in Eastern Europe

  • Western Australia got light rain yesterday; subsoil drought still severe; farmers fearful of back to back droughts; frost developed overnight southeastern Australia; cold temps are slowing wheat growth; warmer and wetter weather in the forecast; weather pattern looks like La Nina

  • China Manchurian Plain in a rainy weather pattern; bad for corn and soybean planting; temperatures normal Tuesday; rainy cool weather in the forecast; severe drought damaging rapeseed in Yangtze River Valley; reservoirs drying up, drinking water is short; rape area may finally get heavy rain upcoming week

  • India showers are developing in southwest, northeast; may be a sign the monsoon circulation is getting going; June is the first official month for the monsoon; western states are baking in heat, temps 110-117 F Tuesday

  • Russia May rainfall very heavy Black Sea winter wheat; makes up for dry April in Volgograd, Rostov districts; winter grain prospects in wheat and barley on the upswing; weather improving for spring grain planting, Volga and Black Earth; warmer and drier recently; seeding was delayed to start with, delayed snowmelt, wet conditions; watching Ukraine weather; winter wheat and rapeseed coming under increased moisture stress; spring has been very dry; suspect soil moisture for snowmelt is running out; reports indicate little if any winter kill