World Crop Weather Highlights
Sub-freezing temperatures and widespread snows are easing winter crops into dormancy across all of Europe, according to USDA's Joint Ag Weather Facility. Locally heavy rains in Italy and western portions of the Balkans, meanwhile, boosted soil moisture levels for emerging winter grains in the past week while dry weather in the Balkans region has allowed for late-season winter wheat planting.
In the FSU, above-normal temperatures are allowing for continued emergence of the winter grains across Ukraine and the Southern District in Russia. Most winter grain areas lack a protective snow cover, however, leaving them vulnerable to weather extremes..
In Southeast Asia, showers in Indonesia have been beneficial for rice and palm oil crops. Flooding persists, though, in minor agricultural areas of the northeastern Philippines. Showers have also caused delays in coffee and rice harvesting in Vietnam.
In South Asia, Tropical Cyclone Nisha brought heavy rain and gusty winds in the past week to Sri Lanka and southern India, halting groundnut harvesting and knocking maturing fruit off coffee trees.
In the Middle East, rain in Turkey and Syria boosted topsoil moisture for vegetative winter wheat and barley.
In Australia, widespread and locally heavy rain continued in eastern Australia, improving moisture supplies for summer crops but further delaying winter grain harvesting and raising concerns about crop quality. In western Victoria and South Australia, mostly dry weather favors rapid winter grain harvesting while wet weather in southern parts of the Western Australia wheat belt hampered harvesting.
In South America, soaking rain brought needed relief from heat and dryness to most major farming areas of Argentina. But in southern Brazil, warm and dry weather reduced topsoil moisture for summer crop germination in southern Brazil, although conditions improved for maturing winter wheat. Beneficial rain continued for summer crops and coffee farther north.
In the FSU, above-normal temperatures are allowing for continued emergence of the winter grains across Ukraine and the Southern District in Russia. Most winter grain areas lack a protective snow cover, however, leaving them vulnerable to weather extremes..
In Southeast Asia, showers in Indonesia have been beneficial for rice and palm oil crops. Flooding persists, though, in minor agricultural areas of the northeastern Philippines. Showers have also caused delays in coffee and rice harvesting in Vietnam.
In South Asia, Tropical Cyclone Nisha brought heavy rain and gusty winds in the past week to Sri Lanka and southern India, halting groundnut harvesting and knocking maturing fruit off coffee trees.
In the Middle East, rain in Turkey and Syria boosted topsoil moisture for vegetative winter wheat and barley.
In Australia, widespread and locally heavy rain continued in eastern Australia, improving moisture supplies for summer crops but further delaying winter grain harvesting and raising concerns about crop quality. In western Victoria and South Australia, mostly dry weather favors rapid winter grain harvesting while wet weather in southern parts of the Western Australia wheat belt hampered harvesting.
In South America, soaking rain brought needed relief from heat and dryness to most major farming areas of Argentina. But in southern Brazil, warm and dry weather reduced topsoil moisture for summer crop germination in southern Brazil, although conditions improved for maturing winter wheat. Beneficial rain continued for summer crops and coffee farther north.
