HARVEST WEATHER is mixed, with drought in western states, and extremely heavy rain in the east causing some crop concerns.

Hot, dry weather has assisted the French wheat harvest, which was delayed by earlier rain. Strategie Grains reports 50% of the wheat crop has been harvested, with yields about 10-20% lower than last year. However, quality is expected to be good, with higher protein levels than last year.

In Portugal, the harvest is complete, with wheat yields down to around 0.5t/ha (average 2.5t/ha) due to the drought. Only 60,000-90,000t of wheat is expected, compared to a normal 0.3mt.

German winter barley is 85% cut, although rain has delayed the harvest this week in many areas. The first results show yields only slightly lower than last year’s record.  The wheat harvest will start in early August.

The Hungarian harvest has been interrupted by heavy rain, which could reduce the crop by as much as 1.5mt. Strategie Grains reports 80-90% of barley has been cut, with an average yield of around 4t/ha.

The wheat harvest has now begun, but rainfall has damaged wheat quality, with lower Hagbergs expected.

Around 8.2mt of Ukraine’s wheat has been cut on about 35% of the planted area, with an average yield of 2.77t/ha. Analyst Ukragroconsult estimates 30% of this total will be third-grade milling wheat, 10% more than 2004.

The total wheat crop is expected to reach 17.6mt. About 2mt of barley has been cut from about 18% of the planted area with yields at 2t/ha (2.84 in 2004).