Key facts
- Persistent heat and exceptional water deficits have substantially worsened summer crop prospects across western and central Europe.
- Impacts include reduced fertility, impaired grain filling, and premature senescence.
- Grassland productivity and pasture availability have declined markedly, raising concerns about fodder supply.
- EU yield forecasts for all summer crops have been sharply reduced, falling below the five-year average by up to 14%.
- Crop failure is likely in the worst-affected regions.
Exceptionally dry and hot weather across western and central Europe has significantly impacted summer crop prospects, according to the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). Persistent heat and water deficits have led to reduced fertility, impaired grain filling, and premature senescence of crops. This has resulted in moderate yield reductions to severe losses, with crop failure anticipated in the most affected areas.
Grassland productivity and pasture availability have also seen a marked decline, creating concerns about the fodder supply for the cattle population. While conditions are more favorable in parts of northern and eastern Europe, the overall EU yield forecasts for summer crops have been sharply revised downwards, now falling below the five-year average by as much as 14%.
The JRC noted that while cooler and wetter conditions are forecast for western and central Europe, they are likely too late to compensate for the losses already incurred. Specific regions like France, southern Germany, northern and central Italy, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, and western Romania have experienced high temperatures and insufficient rainfall, particularly affecting maize during flowering and yield formation.