EU: Mild weather allows swift start to spring barley sowing

Unseasonably mild weather in Europe has allowed a swift start to spring barley sowing, reinforcing the prospect of a rebound in production after a drought-hit EU barley harvest last year, Reuters reported on February 22.

In France, the European Union's largest grain producer, farmers had sown 23 percent of the expected spring barley area as of Feb. 18, compared with just 6 percent a year ago, farming agency FranceAgriMer said on February 22.

Warm, dry conditions this month have led to field work getting under way across the country whereas February sowings are usually limited to the centre region, Strategie Grains analyst Benoit Fayaud said.

The consultancy is projecting France's spring barley area will rise sharply this year to 550,000 hectares from less than 500,000 last year, supported by a shift away from rapeseed and despite a recent slide in barley prices.

"Some last minute reductions to sowing intentions can't be ruled out with the drop in spring barley premiums, but overall France will see an increase in area," Fayaud said.

Barley prices have been hit in recent weeks by a drop-off in demand from major importers China and Saudi Arabia.

Rapeseed sowing was disrupted by last summer's drought in Europe, leaving more area for other crops.

However, the mild, dry spell that has helped sowing could pose a risk in accentuating low soil-moisture levels in Europe after last year's severe drought, Fayaud added.

In Germany, spring barley sowings are set to see an unusually early start, although the area may fall slightly.

"Sowings could start in coming days in south Germany and then move north if there is no sudden return to very cold weather," one German grains analyst said. "This would be four to six weeks early."

Potential area gains from rapeseed may be outweighed by a limited need to replace other crops after a relatively mild winter, and unattractive barley prices, the analyst said, projecting the spring barley area would fall to around 400,00 hectares from 448,000 hectares harvested in 2018.

In Poland, mild weather was also raising the prospect of an early start to spring barley sowing, Wojtek Sabaranski of analysts Sparks Polska, said.

"Depending on prices, Polish spring barley sowings could be expanded to over 800,000 hectares from about 775,000 hectares harvested in 2018," Sabaranski said.

Drilling was underway in Britain.

"Soil conditions are very good and people are taking the opportunity to crack on," said Jack Watts, chief combinable crops adviser at the National Farmers Union.

The spring barley area may increase slightly, in contrast to a 3 percent decrease projected by an Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board survey in November, as rapeseed area declines and pulses face seed supply issues, Watts added.

At the EU level, including Britain, Strategie Grains is forecasting a slight fall in spring barley area. But it expects total production including winter barley to jump 11 percent as yields recover from last year.

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