JRC MARS Bulletin : crop monitoring in Europe. Vol. 30 No 10, 24 October 2022.
Date: 2022-10-24
Institutions: Joint Research Centre
Subjects: agricultural situation, atmospheric conditions, crop production, crop yield, meteorology, serial publication

Issued: 24 October 2022 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 

JRC MARS Bulletin 
Crop monitoring in Europe 
October 2022 

Fair progress of harvesting and winter sowing  
Outlook for summer crops further deteriorated 

Normal autumn weather conditions allowed good progress 

Rapeseed sowing faced more challenges. In France, it was 

with the harvesting of summer crops and sowing of winter 

quickly concluded in the first dekad of September, but in 

crops  in  most  parts  of  Europe.  However,  as  the  season 

several other main-producing countries, part of the sowing 

comes  to  an  end,  the  impact  of  the  dry  summer  is  also 

occurred outside the optimal window due to dry conditions 

becoming clearer. As a consequence, the yield forecasts of 

until  the  end  of  August,  and  frequent  rainfall  in  the 

grain  maize,  sunflowers  and  soybeans  were  further 

beginning of September.  

reduced. In the case of grain maize, this comes on top of 

a  reduction  of  the  harvested  area,  as  part  of  the  crop 

planned  for  grain  maize  has  been  harvested  as  green 

maize (for fodder or silage). 

In large parts of Europe, weather conditions favoured the 

harvesting  of  summer  crops  and  the  sowing  of  winter 

crops.  Continued  drought  in  north-western  Italy,  and 

marked  rain  deficits  in  southern  Spain  and  eastern 

Romania  and  Bulgaria  have  raised  no 

immediate 

consequences for the sowing of winter cereals, which can 

still be performed in a suitable window during the coming 

weeks. 

In  Ireland,  sowing  progressed  well  despite  a  substantial 

rainfall surplus. 

In the Baltic Sea region, sowing was completed within the 

optimal window and crops emerged well notwithstanding 

the lower than usual temperatures in September. 

Contents: 

1. 
2. 
3.  
4. 
5. 
6. 

Agrometeorological overview 
Pastures in Europe – regional monitoring 
Sowing conditions 
Country analysis 
Crop yield forecast 
Atlas 

Covers the period from 1 September until 15 October 

 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

1.  Agrometeorological overview 

1.1.  Meteorological review (1 September – 15 October 2022) 
Wetter-than-usual conditions occurred in large parts of Europe. Slightly colder-than-usual conditions were observed in 

most of the East European Plain, while slightly warmer-than-usual conditions persisted in parts of southern Europe, the 

Balkans, Scandinavia, and northern and eastern European Russia. 

Slightly  warmer-than-usual  conditions  with  respect 
to the 1991-2021 long-term average (LTA) were observed 

observed in several parts of Spain, most of northern Italy 

and  parts  of  the  Baltic  countries,  as  well  as  in  south-

in most of the Iberian Peninsula, France and Italy, parts of 

eastern Bulgaria, eastern Greece and western Türkiye. In 

the  United Kingdom, the  western Balkans and along the 

these regions, only up to 2 days with rainfall exceeding 5 

Black  Sea  coast  in  Bulgaria  and  Romania,  as  well  as  in 

mm were observed. The climatic water balance in most of 

most  of  Türkiye,  southern,  eastern  and  northernmost 

northern Italy and south-eastern Bulgaria was 50 mm or 

European  Russia,  and  parts  of  Scandinavia.  Daily  mean 
temperatures were between 0.5 °C and 2 °C above the LTA 
in  these  regions.  More  distinct  positive  temperature 
anomalies  (up  to  4 °C  above  the  LTA)  were  observed 
locally  in  parts  of  the  Iberian  Peninsula  and  southern 

more below the LTA.  
Wetter-than-usual  conditions 
precipitation  with  respect  to  the  LTA)  were  observed  in 

(+50%  or  more 

Ireland, the northern United Kingdom, southern Germany, 

the  Alps  region  and  large  parts  of  southern-central  and 

France,  as  well  as  in  eastern  Türkiye  and  southernmost 

eastern  Europe,  as  well  as  in  some  parts  of  France, 

European Russia.  

colder-than-usual 

with 
Slightly 
temperature anomalies down to 2 °C below the LTA, were 
observed in most of the East European Plain and southern 

conditions, 

Finland, with more distinct temperature anomalies (up to 
4 °C below the LTA) only in eastern Latvia.   

Drier-than-usual 
anomalies of -50% or more (with respect to the LTA) were 

conditions  with 

precipitation 

Portugal, Spain and southern Italy. This is reflected in the 

climatic  water  balance,  which  in  these  regions  was 

50  mm  or  more  above  the  LTA.  In  small  areas  of  the 

western  United Kingdom, along the south-western coast 

of  Norway,  in  western  Slovenia  and  Croatia,  and  the 

eastern  coastal  region  of  the  Black  Sea  in  the  area  of 

Caucasus, 9 or more days with rainfall above 5  mm were 

observed.  

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1.2.  Weather forecast (20 – 29 October) 
While warmer-than-usual air temperatures are forecast in most of Europe, weather conditions will be mainly determined 

by  an  extensive  low-pressure  system  north-west  of  the  Iberian  Peninsula,  pushing  torrential  rains  and  intense 

precipitation events into some areas of the continent. 

Warmer-than-usual  conditions  (with  respect  to  the 
1991-2021 long-term average – LTA) are forecast in most 

Dry  conditions  (below  5  mm  rainfall)  are  expected  in 
most  of  Türkiye,  the  Balkans  south  of  the  Carpathians, 

of Europe, except the western Iberian Peninsula, European 

most of Italy and along the Mediterranean coast of Spain, 

with 0 days of rainfall above 5 mm. For most other areas 
of  Europe,  up  to  2 days  with  rainfall  above  5  mm  are 
forecast in the review period.  
Wet  conditions  (60  mm  or  more  rainfall)  are  mainly 
forecast  for  the  western  Iberian  Peninsula,  parts  of  the 

United  Kingdom,  south-western  Norway,  the  Alps  region 

and parts of France, as well as the Caucasus mountains. 

In these regions, more than 5 days with rainfall above 5 

mm are forecast.  
The seasonal outlook (November, December, January) is 
for  highly-likely  warmer-than-usual  air  temperatures  in 

most of Europe, with the probability of an occasional cold-

air flow. 

Russia  and  most  of  Türkiye.  Daily  temperatures  are 
forecast to be up to 6-8 °C warmer than the LTA in central 
France, parts of Belgium, Germany, Austria and locally in 

the western Balkans. Maximum daily temperatures above 
15 °C are forecast in most of Europe, reaching 25-30 °C in 
south-eastern Spain and the French Pyrenees, as well as 

in parts of southern Italy.  

colder-than-usual 

with 
Slightly 
temperature anomalies down to 2 °C below the LTA, are 
forecast for north-eastern European Russia and parts of 

conditions, 

Türkiye. Maximum daily temperatures in most of European 
Russia are forecast to be between 0 °C and 10 °C, while in 
northernmost European Russia and northern Scandinavia, 
daily maximum temperatures are forecast to drop to -5 °C.  

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JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

2.  Pastures in Europe – regional monitoring 

Canopy density improving in the eastern regions  

Notable  improvement  (compared  with  the  September  issue  of  the  Bulletin)  in  the  condition  of  pastures  is  visible  in 
eastern and southern European regions (Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Czechia, Italy, Spain and 
Portugal). However, the satellite-based NDVI 1 indicator suggests that grasslands in France, the Benelux countries and 
Germany have not yet fully recovered from the impacts of the dry and hot summer.

In Finland and the Baltic countries, prevailing dry and 
colder-than-usual  conditions  resulted  in  below-average 
grassland  biomass  growth.  Similarly,  in  Denmark  and 
Sweden,  the  rainfall  deficit  negatively  affected  pasture 
productivity for the last harvest of the season, especially 

it  is  late  in  the  season,  biomass  gains  are  modest.  In 
northern Germany, much less rain fell than in the south, 
making  recovery  even  slower.  In  the  Benelux  countries, 
above-average rainfall, combined with average to above-

average  radiation  and  adequate  temperatures,  favoured 

in southern Sweden.  
In  contrast, 

Ireland  experienced  excessive  rainfall 
intensity  and  frequency,  which,  combined  with  below-

average  solar  radiation  (a  consequence  of  cloud  cover), 

negatively impacted growth. 

A large zone showing a negative anomaly (i.e. red colours 
on  the  map)  covers  parts  of  Poland,  the  Benelux 
countries,  Germany,  France,  northern  Italy,  Slovenia, 
Croatia  and  Austria.  Most  of  those  regions  have  seen 
the  return  of  the  rain  in  September;  however,  canopy 

conditions  have  not  yet  fully  recovered.  In  southern 
Germany, rainfall set in, leading to some recovery, but as 

pasture  growth.  Nevertheless,  the  NDVI  profiles  suggest 

that  the  overall  condition  of  pastures  is  still  well  below 

average and  converging only slowly towards average.  In 
France,  the  rainfall  since  mid-August  has  helped  to 
alleviate  water  stress  and  reinforce  photosynthetic 

activity. In the North and West of the country, the negative 

impact  of  the  July-August  drought  is  still  reflected  in 

below-average NDVI. 
In  Poland,  the  soil  moisture  conditions  were  favourable 
for  vegetation  development,  except  for  the  north-west 

(Zachodniopomorskie)  and  north-east 

(Warminsko-

Mazurskie),  where  rain  deficits  have  continued  since 

1NDVI: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. 

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August,  limiting  biomass  growth.  September  was  colder 

pastures  to  recover  and  reach  the  LTA  for  the  review 

than  usual,  resulting  in  slow-down  of  growth,  but 

temperatures in October were above the LTA, resulting in 

favourable  conditions  for  pastures.  The  harvest  of  the 

period. 
In Romania, the agrometeorological conditions in October 
were favourable, with frequent rainfall events, resulting in 

second cut from permanent meadows (converted into hay) 

amounted to about 4.7 million tonnes, i.e. about 9% less 
than last year1. 
In  Slovenia  and  Croatia,  frequent  rainfall  events 
occurred, alleviating the effects of drought on grassland 

observed in the previous months. 
In  Austria,  Czechia  and  Slovakia,  agrometeorological 
conditions  were  generally  favourable.  A  rain  deficit 

occurred during the first half of September, followed by 

some  precipitation  events.  September  was  colder  than 

usual,  resulting  in  slower  biomass  accumulation,  but 

thermal conditions improved from October. 

After  a  sharp  decline  in  pasture  productivity  during 
summer,  the  favourable  conditions  in  Hungary  helped 

above-average  pasture  productivity  for  this  period. 
Bulgaria  shows  similar  positive  conditions  and  pasture 
productivity,  except  that  a  rain  deficit  occurred  in  the 

eastern part of the country, which accounts for a smaller 

proportion of pastures than western Bulgaria.  

In Greece, biomass formation is in line with the average. 
In  northern  and  central  Italy,  rainfall  allowed  a  partial 
recovery  of  pasture  areas,  while  conditions  in  southern 

Italy have returned to average conditions due to rainfall. 

The  return  of  rain  and  the  decreasing  temperatures 
benefited pastures in northern Spain and Portugal. Dry 
conditions are still prevailing in south-eastern Spain. 

1 https://stat.gov.pl/obszary-tematyczne/rolnictwo-lesnictwo/uprawy-rolne-i-ogrodnicze/przedwynikowy-szacunek-
glownych-ziemioplodow-rolnych-i-ogrodniczych-w-2022-roku,4,21.html 

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3.  Sowing conditions 

Rapeseed 
Good start to the season in France but other main producers faced delays 

In France, the rapeseed  sowing  campaign started at the 

than-usual  and  rainy  conditions  in  September  delayed 

end of August when agrometeorological conditions were 

plant development: optimal conditions are required for the 

favourable, and it was quickly concluded in the first dekad 

rest  of  autumn  to  secure  adequate  development  before 

of  September.  Warmer-than-average  temperatures  and 

winter  dormancy.  Similarly,  in  Belgium,  dry  conditions 

adequate soil moisture conditions were favourable for the 

observed in August were followed by heavy rainfall in late 

early development of plants. Similarly, soil moisture and 

August/early September, which partly delayed the sowing 

temperature conditions in Ireland, the Baltic countries and 

campaign  and  resulted  in  uneven  plant  development.  In 

northern  Italy  were  favourable  for  timely  sowings  and 

Bulgaria, the optimal time period for sowing was missed 

healthy emergence of rapeseed. 

due  to  dry  conditions  followed  by  abundant  rain  in  late 

In Germany, the rapeseed sowing campaign was delayed 

August  and  early  September;  and  sowing  is  still  to  be 

due to prevailing  dry conditions  until the end of August, 

finalized. The largely delayed sowing brings the risk that 

and  sowing  was  finalised  only  during  the  first  dekad  of 

plants may not reach an appropriate development stage 

September  after  beneficial  rains  improved  soil  moisture 

before winter. 

levels.  Also  in  Poland,  sowing  operations  were  extended 

In  Ukraine  and  Romania,  the  sowing  of  rapeseed  was 

until the first dekad of September due to either overly dry 

slightly delayed due to late harvest of winter cereals.  In 

(in the east) or overly wet (in the south) conditions during 

these  countries,  beneficial  rainfall  arrived  in  time  to 

the  optimal  sowing  window.  Regionally,  torrential  rains 

provide  adequate  soil  moisture  levels  for  rapeseed 

resulted  in  soil  sealing  and  uneven  emergence,  and  in 

germination and early development. 

some  cases  necessitated  re-sowing.  Additionally,  colder-

Winter cereals 
Good conditions for sowing and crop emergence 

The  sowing  campaign  for  winter  cereals  is  progressing 

current soil moisture levels in Ukraine are favourable for 

well across Europe without major concerns.  

germination and emergence. 

Sowings  were  completed  in  September  in  Denmark, 

In  Czechia,  Austria,  Slovakia,  Hungary,  Bulgaria  and 

Sweden,  the  Baltic  countries  and  Finland,  with  good 

Romania,  weather  conditions  have  generally  been 

emergence.  Locally 

in  Finland,  dry  soils  delayed 

adequate  for  sowing  and  early  development  of  winter 

emergence.  

cereals.  However,  in  southern  Romania,  more  rain  is 

Despite  some  interruptions  due  to  the  rainy  weather, 

needed to avoid poor germination. 

sowings  are  proceeding  as  planned  in  France,  Germany, 

In Spain, Portugal and northern Italy, sowing usually starts 

the Benelux countries, Ireland and the United Kingdom. In 

in  mid-October.  The  current  dry  conditions  could  delay 

these countries, conditions were adequate for germination 

sowing in northern and south-eastern Spain. In northern 

and early growth.  

Italy,  some  rains  restored  the  minimum  soil  moisture 

In  Poland,  field  operations  were  regionally  hampered  by 

conditions needed for the early sowings of winter cereals. 

wet conditions in September, especially in the south-east, 

In Greece and southern Italy, the optimal sowing window 

but conditions improved in October. Similarly, in  Ukraine 

for cereals begins in November. The current dry conditions 

rainfall  in  September  slowed  down  sowings,  which  are 

in Greece might delay field preparation and the beginning 

expected  to  accelerate  in  October.  At  the  same  time, 

of the sowing campaign. 

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JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

4.  Country analysis 

4.1.  European Union 
France 
Harvest campaign progressing rapidly 

Abundant and frequent rainfall (up to 60% above the LTA) 

prevailed  during  the  review  period,  while  temperatures 

stayed near seasonal levels.  

campaign  was  finished  in  September,  while  sowing  of 
winter cereals is still ongoing, in line with previous years  
. 

In a large part of southern France, the abundant rainfall 

since  the  end  of  August  arrived  too  late  to  recover  the 

condition  of  summer  crops.  North  of  the  River  Loire, 

rainfall  helped  to  avoid  historically  low  yields.  By  mid-

October,  the  harvest  campaign  was  83%  completed  at 
national level3, which was very advanced compared with 
last  year.  Fieldwork  progressed  particularly  well  in  the 

south-western  regions  (Aquitaine,  Poitou-Charentes  and 

Midi-Pyrénées).  Our  yield  forecasts  for  summer  crops 

remain close to a record low. 

The  wet  conditions  were  favourable  for  sowing  and 

emergence  of  winter  crops.  The  rapeseed  sowing 

Germany 
Plenty of rainfall replenishing topsoil moisture, except in the east 

Plenty  of  rainfall  in  September  led  to  a  surplus  for  the 

crops. Besides a  minor  delay in rapeseed  sowing (e.g. in 

review  period,  with  the  exception  of  Brandenburg  and 

Hessen),  no  major  obstacles  were  observed  during  the 

Thüringen. However, rainfall totals are still insufficient to 

sowing period. 

compensate 

for 

the  dry  summer,  especially 

in 

Niedersachsen,  Schleswig-Holstein,  Nordrhein-Westfalen 

and  Thüringen,  so  potato  and  sugar  beet  yields  remain 

impacted by the dry summer. Our yield forecasts for both 

crops remain well below last year and also below the 5-

year average. 

The wet September provided sufficiently good conditions 

for sowing and emergence across the country. While mild 

to warm temperatures marked the start of September, a 

decisively colder period – including some first night frosts 

in  Bayern  –  set  in  with  the  second  half  of  the  month. 

Temperatures  have  been  increasing  again  in  October, 

providing  good  conditions  for  further  establishment  of 

3 https://cereobs.franceagrimer.fr/ 

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JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Poland 
Fair October weather favoured sowing and emergence of winter crops 

While the harvest of grain maize is already very advanced 

germination and early development. Regionally, the early 

in regions that experienced a dry and hot summer, the cold 

development  of  rapeseed  may  be  delayed  and  uneven, 

and  rainy  September  delayed  the  harvest  elsewhere. 

due to late sowing (see September issue of the Bulletin) 

Initial  reports  indicate  highly  variable  grain  maize  yields 

and a colder-than-usual September. 

across regions, with poor results for rain-deficient regions. 

Similarly,  yields  of  potatoes  are  strongly  conditioned  on 

water  availability  during  the  season,  including  irrigation; 

generally,  however,  yield  expectations  for  potatoes  are 

slightly  above  average.  The  harvest  of  sugar  beet  has 

been ongoing since early September, with milder October 

temperatures  and  sunny  days  favourable  for  increasing 

sugar  content.  We  maintain  our  yield  forecast  slightly 

below the 5-year average for grain maize and close to the 

5-year average for sugar beet, while yield expectations for 

potatoes are slightly increased. 

The  sowing  of  winter  cereals  is  progressing  well,  and 

agrometeorological  conditions  in  October  favour  their 

Romania 
Fieldwork is still in progress 

Soil moisture conditions finally improved in Romania. After 

currently ongoing. The increased temperatures since early 

the wet month of August, abundant and frequent rainfall 

October  combined  with  sufficient  soil  moisture  have 

continued  to  prevail  during  the  period  under  review  in 

provided favourable conditions for the early sown fields. 

most producing regions. A rainfall deficit is only visible in 

However, rainfall is urgently needed in the south-east to 

the  south-eastern  part  of  the  country.  In  September, 

avoid germination issues. 

temperatures  were  1  °C  to  2  °C  below  the  LTA  in  most 

regions.  A positive thermal anomaly of 1 °C to 2 °C  has 

since been observed. 

These conditions led to delayed progress in the harvesting 

of summer crops, which exposed them to additional yield 

losses.  Consequently,  our  yield  forecast  was  revised 

downward again, also to take into account revised analysis 

of the effects of the drought since the start of the season. 

Part of the crop that was planned to be harvested as grain 

maize is expected to be harvested for fodder or silage. 

The  sowing  of  rapeseed  was  completed  during  the  first 

half of September, while the sowing of winter cereals is 

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JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Spain and Portugal 
Returning rain is still not covering the deficit 

During the review period, rainfall has returned to most of 

Our yield forecasts remain well below the 5-year average 

the  Iberian  Peninsula,  but  it  is  not  sufficient  to  ensure 

for summer crops in both Spain and Portugal.  

appropriate  soil  moisture  for  winter  crop  sowing.  In 

western Spain along the border with Portugal, rainfall is 

expected in the coming days, while soils in south-eastern 

Spain  remain  essentially  dry.  Portugal  has  received 

seasonal  rainfall  and  more  is  forecast  to  come  in  the 

coming days. Irrigation water supply in Spain is reaching 

an  average  of  about  31%  of  design  capacity 

(www.embalses.net),  far  below  the  10-year  average  of 

around 49% at this time of year, reflecting the continuing 

deficit in annual precipitation. 

Grain  maize  is  fully  harvested,  and  planning  for  winter 

crop  sowing  is  ongoing.  Fields  in  Spain  present  topsoil 

moisture far from optimum for accepting seeds, while in 

Portugal sowing already started in early October.  

Hungary 
Wet September favourable for sowing winter crops, but not for harvest of summer 
crops  

Following  the  dry  conditions  of  July  and  August,  the 

Precipitation since mid-August has been highly beneficial 

country  experienced  a  very  wet  September.  While 

for sowing and emergence of winter crops. 

precipitation was close to the LTA in the west, it was 50% 

above the LTA in the east and south. Dry conditions have 

occurred  since  the  beginning  of  October.  Temperatures 

dropped below average in the second half of September 

but  have  returned  to  warmer  conditions  since  early 

October. 

The wet conditions did not help to recover summer crops 

in most regions, as maturity  was already reached. Grain 

maize  yield  is  expected  to  be  historically  low.  The 

pronounced  maize  yield  loss  is  also  visible  in  reports  of 

the  ongoing  harvest,  despite  a  slower-than-usual 

harvesting  campaign  due  to  the  rainy  September.  It  is 

likely that grain maize on close to a quarter of the sown 

area  will  not  be  harvested  at  all  or  will  be  converted  to 

silage maize. 

. 

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JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Italy 
A good sowing campaign is still possible 

In September, cumulative precipitation was in line with the 

dry. However, rainfall in the coming weeks could still lead 

average  in  north-eastern  Italy.  In  north-western  regions 

to  a  full  recovery  from  the  summer  drought,  with 

(e.g. Piemonte), rainfall was more scattered and, at around 

sustaining soil moisture conditions, before the start of the 

70 mm, remained well below the average (-30%). October 

winter cereal season. 

turned dry and temperatures rose above the average for 

the period. Concerns due to the dry summer are not fully 

relieved,  since  average  soil  moisture  is  not  yet  restored 

and evapotranspiration is still above the LTA.  

In  central  and  southern  regions,  rainfall  was  average  to 

abundant,  with  the  only  exception  of  western  Sicily  and 

Calabria where precipitation was half the average. 

The  optimal  sowing  window  for  winter  cereals  usually 

opens between 15 October and 1 November and lasts until 

15  December.  Current  sowing  conditions  are  acceptable 

overall, except in north-western regions that are still too 

Czechia, Austria and Slovakia 
Fair conditions for sowing and emergence of winter crops

A dry and relatively warm first dekad of September was 

The sowing campaign for winter crops has started within 

followed by rainy and relatively cold conditions during the 

optimal  time  windows,  and  thermal  and  soil  moisture 

rest  of  the  month.  The  first  weeks  of  October  were 

conditions  are  favourable  for  emergence  and  stand 

characterised by mild and dry weather.  

establishment. 

The favourable conditions at the beginning of September 

enabled  the  harvesting  campaign  for  summer  crops  to 

start.   After frequent interruptions  by rainfall during the 

second and third dekads of September, the campaign has 

continued efficiently and the harvest of grain maize and 

sugar beet is now in full swing, while close to completion 

for  potatoes.  Initial  field  reports  indicate  below-average 

yields  for  grain  maize,  and  our  yield  expectations  range 

from below (Austria, Czechia) to well-below (Slovakia) the 

5-year average. Our outlook for sugar beet remains below 

average in Austria, while above average in Czechia. 

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Bulgaria 
Sowing is progressing under dry conditions

Above-average  temperatures  were  recorded  in  Bulgaria 

and sowing activities have been completed in October. The 

again during the first half of September. In particular, in 

sowing  campaign  for  winter  cereals  has  just  started  in 

the  second  dekad  of  the  month,  maximum  values 

northern  regions  and  is  progressing  to  the  south  under 

exceeded  30  °C  in  the  main  agricultural  areas,  further 

drier and warmer-than-usual conditions. 

hampering  conditions  for  late-maturing  maize  varieties. 

After  an  intense  rain  event  in  early  September,  dry 

conditions prevailed in the period of analysis. The rainfall 

deficit  was  particularly  high  in  the  southern  half  of  the 

country (>  50% less than the LTA) as cumulated rainfall 

overall reached only 30  mm.  

The  harvesting  campaign  for  sunflowers  has  been 

completed.  Maize  harvesting  is  yet  to  be  concluded,  but 

yield  expectations  have  been  further  reduced.  Moreover, 

part of the maize that was planned for grain maize, has 

actually been harvested as green maize. 

The optimal window for winter rapeseed sowing has been 

missed  due  to  intense  precipitation  in  early  September, 

Denmark and Sweden 
Overall good conditions for winter sowing 

Temperatures and radiation in the review period were in 

yields,  as  also  indicated  by  our  models,  due  to  the  dry 

line  with  the  LTA  for  both  countries.  In  Sweden,  rainfall 

conditions observed in August and September. 

prevailed below the seasonal values in September and is 

currently  close  to  the  LTA  for  October,  whereas  in 

Denmark  a  positive  anomaly  was  recorded  from  the 

second week of September onwards. Radiation was close 

to the LTA. The sowing of winter cereals and rapeseed has 

been  completed  in  both  countries;  however,  delayed 

emergence related to dry conditions has been reported for 

rapeseed  in  parts  of  southern  Sweden.  The  sugar  beet 

harvest  is  in  full  swing,  and  the  yield  outlook  remains 

unchanged  for  both  countries  with  lower-than-average 

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland 
Sowing completed within the optimal time window 

The period of review was colder than usual in all countries. 

harvesting  of  sugar  beet  started  at  the  beginning  of 

Rainfall prevailed close to seasonal values in September 

October with good yield expectations. 

and the beginning of October, after which it generally fell 

below the average. Radiation was close to the LTA. In the 

Baltic  countries,  the  sowing  of  winter  cereals  was 

completed in September within the optimal time window 

and  with  good  emergence,  despite  the  relatively  cold 

temperatures. In Finland, the cereal harvest was finalised 

during the end of the second dekad of September. Winter 

sowing  was  almost  completed  at  the  same  time.  Dry 

conditions  have  been  reported  to  delay  emergence  in 

some  areas  in  Finland;  and  the  area  sown  with  winter 

cereals  this  year  is  estimated  to  be  on  average  levels, 

albeit less than last year. The harvesting of potatoes and 

grain maize is ongoing with variable yield prospects. The 

Greece and Cyprus 
Sowing of winter crops is delayed by two weeks 

In September, Greece completed the harvest of summer 

production  costs  are  progressively  reducing  its  profit 

crops  with  above-average  yield  expectations  in  irrigated 

margin on the market. 

areas. In addition, the harvest of rice started between the 

Overall, we confirm our yield forecasts for summer crops 

end  of  September  and  beginning  of  October  in  the 

above the 5-year average. 

northernmost  part  of  mainland  Greece,  with  good 

expectations  for  grain  quality  and  final  yield, 

in 

comparison with the previous (2021) season. 

Sowing of winter crops will start around mid-November, 

with a delay of around 2 weeks. This is due to a lack of 

rain  events  for  most  of  the  review  period,  from  1 

September to 10 October. 

Due  to  skyrocketing  costs  of  fertilisers  and  fuel,  many 

farmers may use the area usually cultivated with summer 

crops for winter crops – mainly durum wheat, as this crop 

is less demanding in terms of production costs.  

There is also an increased margin of uncertainty around 

rice  cultivation  for  the  next  season,  as  the  increasing 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Ireland 
Good sowing progress despite wet weather 

Temperatures  prevailed  above  the  LTA  until  mid-

The  harvest  of  green  maize  was  in  full  swing  at  the 

September, after which they fluctuated around seasonal 

beginning of October, without significant problems. 

values.  Radiation  levels  were  slightly  below  the  LTA. 

Rainfall  exceeded  the  LTA,  and  particularly  heavy  rain 

storms  occurred  during  the  first  dekad  of  September. 

However, rainfall was almost absent from 12 September 

until the end of the second dekad of September.  

The sowing of winter cereals was in full swing at the end 

of  September,  and  the  early-sown  crops  emerged  well. 

Despite  the  wet  weather,  soil  conditions  were  adequate 

for planting, which should be concluded within the optimal 

window. The area sown with winter barley is expected to 

decrease,  due  to  the  disappointing  harvest  results  this 

year, and be replaced with spring barley and rye.  

Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands 
Fair progress with harvesting and sowing, despite frequent rain events

After  the  very  dry  summer,  above-average  rainfall  – 

on  dry  soils  at  the  end  of  August,  leading  to  uneven 

combined  with  relatively  warm  days,  cool  nights  and 

emergence,  whereas  sowing  in  early  September  was 

above-average  sunshine  –  favoured  the  end-of-season 

hampered by frequent rainfall. 

growth of sugar beet, particularly in the Netherlands.  

Overall, progress with harvesting (also of potatoes, green 

maize and grain maize) has been fair, despite the frequent 

rainfall  in  September,  which  caused  some  interruptions, 

but  which  was  readily  absorbed  by  the  initially  very  dry 

soils.  

Sowing  of  winter  cereals  also  progressed  well  and 

weather  conditions  favoured  adequate  emergence.  The 

area  sown  to  winter  cereals  is  expected  to  increase 

compared  with  previous  years,  due  to  attractive  price 

levels and good performance in recent dry years.  

Sowing  of  rapeseed  –  a  minor  crop  in  the  Benelux 

countries – was more challenging. It was partly performed 

.

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Slovenia and Croatia 
Good conditions for winter sowing and emergence 

Temperatures prevailed close to seasonal values for both 

campaign is now complete, and first yield reports suggest 

countries.  Rainfall  was  largely  above  the  LTA  for  both 

better performance than other summer crops. 

countries,  with  most  rainfall  occurring  in  September.  In 

continental Croatia, cumulative rainfall during the period 

of interest was the third largest on our records. Radiation 

was slightly below the LTA in Croatia and close to average 

in Slovenia. Rapeseed sowing has been completed in the 

optimal  window,  and  sowing  of  winter  cereals  is  in  full 

swing.  Conditions  have  so  far  been  favourable  for  good 

establishment  of  sown  crops,  with  appropriate  soil 

moisture and air temperatures. The sunflower harvest 

.

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

4.2.  United Kingdom 

Good conditions for sowing and emergence 

Temperatures prevailed above the LTA, with the exception 

sustained  adequate  crop  emergence  and  have  been 

of  the  colder-than-usual  second  half  of  September. 

favourable for early crop establishment. 

Cumulative temperatures were, on average, slightly higher 

than usual. Rainfall was above the LTA in most parts of 

the country, except in East Midlands and East of England, 

which  received  little  rainfall  after  the  first  10  days  of 

September. Radiation levels were around average.  

After  the  dry  summer,  the  rainfall  of  September  was 

beneficial  for  the  preparation  of  good  seedbeds.  The 

sowing  of  winter  cereals  started  in  the  optimal  window 

and progressed well, with some interruptions due to rain. 

In general, soil moisture conditions and mild temperatures 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

4.3.  Black Sea Area 

Ukraine 
Summer crop harvesting campaign progresses slowly 

Wetter-than-usual  conditions  prevailed  in  the  northern 

half of Ukraine during the period under review, with the 

most  distinct  rain  surplus  in  eastern  oblasts  (e.g. 

According to the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of 
Ukraine 4,  the  sowing  of  rapeseed  has  been  completed, 
while 42% of the projected winter cereals area was yet to 

Kharkivs’ka, Luhans’ka), while near-seasonal precipitation 

be  sown  on  18  October.  Germination  and  early 

prevailed  in  the  southern  parts.  These  conditions  were 

development  benefited  from  the  improved  soil  moisture 

combined  with 

below-average 

temperatures 

in 

conditions due to the abundant rainfall. 

September,  especially  in  the  northernmost  oblasts  (e.g. 
Chernihivs’ka), where a negative thermal anomaly of 2 °C 
to 4 °C was observed. Temperatures have since returned 
to near-seasonal levels. 

.

The persistently wet conditions led to delays in the harvest 

of summer crops, especially of grain maize in the north, 

which  could  eventually  lead  to  a  lower-than-expected 

harvested  area.  It  is  also  expected  to  have  negatively 

affected grain quality. However, the current dry weather 

forecast would help accelerate the fieldwork. 

Türkiye  

Average harvest for summer crops 

In central Anatolian regions and along the Black Sea coast, 

and October. Such conditions led to optimal conditions for 

three heatwaves were observed during the first 20 days 

the second season of summer crops. 

of  September.  Each  lasted  a  few  days  and  they  were 

At  country  scale,  yield  expectations  remain  average  to 

interrupted by a significant drop in temperatures (-10°C in 

positive; possible yield reductions in central and northern 

the space of a very few days) and some precipitation. Such 

regions  are  compensated  by  the  favourable  season  in 

contrasting conditions have stressed maize and soybean 

southern provinces. 

plants in the latest part of their development cycle. From 

20  September  onwards,  10  days  of  mild  weather 

conditions allowed a good start to harvesting activities for 

maize, soybean and sugar beet. 

In the southern provinces, September temperatures were 
as high as usual but without peaks above 35 °C. The latest 
stages of the maize season thus progressed under normal 

conditions,  allowing  average  to  slightly  above-average 

yield outlooks. 

In  south-eastern  provinces  (e.g.  Sanliurfa),  the  high 
temperatures (Tmax < 30 °C) lasted for most of September 

4 https://minagro.gov.ua/news/trivaye-sivba-ozimih-zernovih-vzhe-posiyano-28-mln-ga 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

4.4.  European Russia and Belarus 

European Russia 
Winter crop season started under wet conditions 

Most  parts  of  European  Russian  experienced  abundant 

and 

frequent 

rainfall  during 

the 

review  period. 

Precipitation  was  50%  to  80%  above  the  LTA  in  the 

mid-October winter cereals had been sown on 13.1 million 
ha;  this  is  0.7 million  ha  less  than  last  year  around  this 
date, but there is still sufficient time to catch up. 

Central  okrug  and  the  Volga  okrug,  while  it  stayed  near 

seasonal levels in south-western regions. 

After  an  overall  colder-than-usual  month  of  September, 
when a negative thermal anomaly of 1° C to 2 °C below 
the LTA was registered in the Central okrug and the Volga 

okrug,  temperatures  increased  during  the  first  half  of 
October and were 1° C to 2 °C above the LTA. 
The frequent rainfall caused delay to the harvest of grain 

maize, which may result in a loss of grain quality. It also 

caused delay to the sowing of winter cereals in central and 

eastern parts of European Russia. According to the Russian 
Ministry  of  agriculture,  as  cited  by  UkrAgroConsult 5,  by 

Belarus 
Fair conditions for sowing of winter crops and harvest of grain maize 

Temperatures were colder than usual in September, with 

organ  accumulation,  and  the  close-to-average  yield 

daily average temperature anomalies reaching -2 °C to -4 

outlook of the last Bulletin is maintained. 

°C,  while  in  October  temperatures  oscillated  around  the 

LTA.  After  a  relatively  dry  first  dekad  of  September, 

precipitation  totals  increased  significantly  to  above 

average in  most of the country (especially in the  south-

east, where precipitation totals exceeded the LTA by more 

than 100%). This was mostly concentrated  within a few 

intense  precipitation  events.  As  a  result,  soil  moisture 

levels were replenished to adequate levels for germination 

and  emergence  of  winter  crops.  Furthermore,  moderate 

October  weather  favoured  early  development  of  winter 

cereals. 

The harvest campaign for grain maize started in the last 

dekad of September, briefly interrupted by rainy weather. 

Our model indicates around-average biomass and storage 

5 https://ukragroconsult.com/en/news/grain-market 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

5.  Crop yield forecast 

Grain maize (t/ha)

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

MARS 
2022 
forecasts

%22/5yrs %22/21

EU
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
SK

7.87
10.6
10.6
6.40
—
8.12
9.50
—
—
10.2
11.9
—
9.09
8.12
7.57
—
10.3
6.59
—
—
—
10.8
6.79
9.25
5.99
—
9.22
7.54

7.91
11.2
11.9
5.89
—
9.65
10.4
—
—
9.91
12.3
—
10.0
7.77
6.04
—
10.3
5.86
—
—
—
12.9
7.47
10.1
5.90
—
9.39
7.86

6.34
10.3
9.42
5.53
—
8.04
8.57
—
—
10.4
10.6
—
7.95
7.18
4.00
—
7.10
6.36
—
—
—
9.57
6.69
9.71
3.94
—
7.74
6.78

– 19
– 3
– 11
– 14
—
– 1
– 10
—
—
+ 2
– 11
—
– 13
– 12
– 47
—
– 31
– 4
—
—
—
– 11
– 2
+ 5
– 34
—
– 16
– 10

– 20
– 8
– 21
– 6
—
– 17
– 17
—
—
+ 5
– 14
—
– 20
– 8
– 34
—
– 31
+ 9
—
—
—
– 26
– 11
– 4
– 33
—
– 18
– 14

Green maize (t/ha)

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

MARS 
2022 
forecasts

%22/5yrs %22/21

EU*
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
SK

41.6
46.6
40.6
21.6
—
35.6
42.2
38.3
31.4
20.2
36.6
—
41.7
37.7
29.6
52.5
51.7
28.4
47.3
32.3
—
43.8
45.3
40.5
27.2
—
45.4
29.9

45.4
47.1
43.6
19.1
—
38.9
47.2
40.7
27.4
20.5
37.4
—
47.3
34.7
26.7
59.7
53.6
27.7
53.0
28.9
—
45.2
48.4
45.1
26.3
—
42.9
27.9

37.4
45.9
37.4
19.6
—
36.3
37.9
40.5
33.1
21.8
32.0
—
35.7
31.4
18.5
55.6
40.0
30.3
42.1
32.8
—
40.7
43.9
35.0
20.8
—
40.0
28.4

– 10
– 2
– 8
– 10
—
+ 2
– 10
+ 6
+ 6
+ 8
– 13
—
– 15
– 17
– 38
+ 6
– 23
+ 6
– 11
+ 2
—
– 7
– 3
– 14
– 23
—
– 12
– 5

– 18
– 3
– 14
+ 3
—
– 7
– 20
– 0
+ 21
+ 6
– 14
—
– 25
– 10
– 31
– 7
– 25
+ 9
– 21
+ 14
—
– 10
– 9
– 22
– 21
—
– 7
+ 2

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

Potato (t/ha)

MARS 
2022 
forecasts

%22/5yrs %22/21

EU
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
SK

34.2
32.0
40.9
—
—
28.2
41.6
41.6
—
28.0
31.9
28.7
41.4
—
—
—
29.2
15.0
—
—
—
41.8
27.4
22.7
16.7
34.4
—
—

36.3
34.1
42.9
—
—
29.4
43.8
42.3
—
25.5
32.9
27.5
41.5
—
—
—
29.2
13.1
—
—
—
42.0
30.0
24.6
16.5
34.8
—
—

33.4
31.5
36.8
—
—
27.6
38.1
42.1
—
29.9
28.8
28.2
38.0
—
—
—
29.1
15.9
—
—
—
41.3
28.1
22.0
14.9
35.6
—
—

– 2
– 2
– 10
—
—
– 2
– 8
+ 1
—
+ 7
– 10
– 2
– 8
—
—
—
– 0
+ 6
—
—
—
– 1
+ 3
– 3
– 11
+ 4
—
—

– 8
– 8
– 14
—
—
– 6
– 13
– 0
—
+ 17
– 13
+ 3
– 9
—
—
—
– 0
+ 22
—
—
—
– 2
– 7
– 11
– 10
+ 2
—
—

Sugar beets (t/ha)

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

MARS 
2022 
forecasts

%22/5yrs %22/21

EU
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
SK

74.9
73.6
86.7
—
—
63.0
75.1
73.3
—
—
87.0
—
82.3
—
—
—
66.4
61.6
—
—
—
83.4
61.4
—
—
66.1
—
59.1

77.4
79.7
82.5
—
—
67.7
81.8
77.5
—
—
85.0
—
85.7
—
—
—
60.6
58.3
—
—
—
81.2
61.0
—
—
71.6
—
62.6

73.2
71.4
84.0
—
—
65.6
72.1
73.8
—
—
80.0
—
80.8
—
—
—
51.4
60.1
—
—
—
86.1
61.7
—
—
64.9
—
59.1

– 2
– 3
– 3
—
—
+ 4
– 4
+ 1
—
—
– 8
—
– 2
—
—
—
– 23
– 3
—
—
—
+ 3
+ 1
—
—
– 2
—
+ 0

– 5
– 11
+ 2
—
—
– 3
– 12
– 5
—
—
– 6
—
– 6
—
—
—
– 15
+ 3
—
—
—
+ 6
+ 1
—
—
– 9
—
– 6

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Sunflower (t/ha)

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

MARS 
2022 
forecasts

%22/5yrs %22/21

EU
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
SK

2.34
2.71
—
2.31
—
2.54
2.20
—
—
2.65
1.24
—
2.39
3.05
2.87
—
2.40
—
—
—
—
—
2.13
—
2.61
—
—
2.65

2.38
3.01
—
2.38
—
2.90
2.60
—
—
2.53
1.22
—
2.74
3.04
2.70
—
2.40
—
—
—
—
—
2.38
—
2.54
—
—
2.66

1.97
2.67
—
2.21
—
2.50
1.90
—
—
2.77
1.15
—
2.20
3.00
2.10
—
1.65
—
—
—
—
—
2.15
—
1.97
—
—
2.58

– 16
– 1
—
– 4
—
– 2
– 14
—
—
+ 5
– 7
—
– 8
– 2
– 27
—
– 32
—
—
—
—
—
+ 1
—
– 25
—
—
– 3

– 17
– 11
—
– 7
—
– 14
– 27
—
—
+ 10
– 6
—
– 20
– 1
– 22
—
– 31
—
—
—
—
—
– 10
—
– 22
—
—
– 3

Soybean (t/ha)

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

MARS 
2022 
forecasts

%22/5yrs %22/21

EU
AT
BE
BG
CY
CZ
DE
DK
EE
EL
ES
FI
FR
HR
HU
IE
IT
LT
LU
LV
MT
NL
PL
PT
RO
SE
SI
SK

2.88
2.98
—
—
—
2.28
—
—
—
—
—
—
2.61
2.88
2.71
—
3.42
—
—
—
—
—
2.08
—
2.43
—
—
2.44

2.82
3.06
—
—
—
2.61
—
—
—
—
—
—
2.85
2.63
2.61
—
3.11
—
—
—
—
—
2.25
—
2.49
—
—
2.52

2.37
2.80
—
—
—
2.34
—
—
—
—
—
—
2.40
2.51
2.06
—
2.50
—
—
—
—
—
2.17
—
1.77
—
—
2.59

– 18
– 6
—
—
—
+ 3
—
—
—
—
—
—
– 8
– 13
– 24
—
– 27
—
—
—
—
—
+ 4
—
– 27
—
—
+ 6

– 16
– 9
—
—
—
– 10
—
—
—
—
—
—
– 16
– 5
– 21
—
– 20
—
—
—
—
—
– 4
—
– 29
—
—
+ 3

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

BY
TR
UA
UK

3.45
2.79
4.07
8.03

3.54
2.66
4.53
7.80

Wheat (t/ha)

MARS 
2022 
forecasts
3.62
2.90
4.01
8.18

%22/5yrs %22/21

+ 5
+ 4
– 2
+ 2

+ 2
+ 9
– 12
+ 5

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

BY
TR
UA
UK

2.85
2.53
3.35
6.15

2.86
1.87
3.82
6.09

Barley (t/ha)

MARS 
2022 
forecasts
3.32
2.56
3.40
6.32

%22/5yrs %22/21

+ 17
+ 1
+ 2
+ 3

+ 16
+ 37
– 11
+ 4

Grain maize (t/ha)

Soybean (t/ha)

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

BY
TR
UA
UK

5.58
9.30
6.76
—

5.31
8.90
7.68
—

MARS 
2022 
forecasts
5.72
9.40
7.07
—

%22/5yrs %22/21

+ 3
+ 1
+ 5
—

+ 8
+ 6
– 8
—

Country

Avg 5yrs

2021

BY
TR
UA
UK

—
4.29
2.29
—

—
4.15
2.64
—

MARS 
2022 
forecasts
—
4.66
2.35
—

%22/5yrs %22/21

—
+ 9
+ 3
—

—
+ 12
– 11
—

NB: 

Yields are forecast for crops with more than 10 000 ha per country with sufficently long and coherent yield time series.

Sources:

2017-2022 data come from DG Agriculture and Rural Development short-term-outlook data (dated September 2022, received on 
05.10.2022), Eurostat Eurobase (last update: 10.10.2022) and EES (last update: 15.11.2017).
Non-EU 2017-2021 data come from USDA, Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), Eurostat Eurobase (last update: 10.10.2022), Ministry 
for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs of UK (DEFRA),  FAO 
and PSD-online.
2022 yields come from MARS Crop Yield Forecasting System (output up to 10.10.2022).

EU aggregate after 01.02.2020 is reported.

The column header '%22/5yrs’ stands for the 2022 change with respect to the 5-year average(%). Similarly, '%22/21’ stands for the 
2022 change with respect to 2021(%).
* The EU figures do not include green maize forecasts for Sweden since recent data on yields were not consistent.

Cop name

Eurostat Crop name

Eurostat Crop Code

Official Eurostat Crop definition*

Common wheat (Triticum aestivum  L. emend. 
Fiori et Paol.), spelt (Triticum spelta  L.), einkorn 
wheat (Triticum monococcum  L.) and durum 
wheat (Triticum durum  Desf.).
Barley (Hordeum vulgare  L.).
Common wheat (Triticum aestivum  L. emend. 
Fiori et Paol.), spelt (Triticum spelta  L.) and 
einkorn wheat (Triticum monococcum  L.).
Triticum durum  Desf.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare  L.) sown in the spring.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare  L.) sown before or 
during winter.
Maize (Zea mays  L.) harvested for grain, as 
seed or as corn-cob-mix.
All forms of maize (Zea mays  L.) grown mainly 
for silage (whole cob, parts of or whole plant) 
and not harvested for grain.
Rye (Secale cereale  L.) sown any time, mixtures 
of rye and other cereals and other cereal 
mixtures sown before or during the winter 
(maslin).
Triticale (x Triticosecale  Wittmack).
Rape (Brassica napus  L.) and turnip rape 
(Brassica rapa  L. var. oleifera (Lam.)) grown for 
the production of oil, harvested as dry grains.
Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris  L.) intended for the 
sugar industry, alcohol production or renewable 
energy production.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum  L.).
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus  L.) harvested as 
dry grains.
Soya (Glycine max  L. Merril) harvested as dry 
grains.
Rice (Oryza sativa , L.).

Total wheat

Wheat and spelt

Total barley

Barley

Soft wheat

Common wheat and spelt

Durum what

Durum wheat

Spring barley

Spring barley

Winter barley

Winter barley

Grain maize

Grain maize and corn-cob-mix

Green maize

Green maize

C1100

C1300

C1110

C1120

C1320

C1310

C1500

G3000

Rye

Rye and winter cereal mixtures (maslin)

C1200

Triticale

Triticale

Rape and turnip 
rape

Rape and turnip rape seeds

Sugar beet

Sugar beet (excluding seed)

Potatoes

Potatoes (including seed potatoes)

Sunflower

Sunflower seed

Soybean

Rice

* Source: 

Soya

Rice

C1600

I1110

R2000

R1000

I1120

I1130

C2000

Eurostat - Annual crop statistics (Handbook 2020 Edition)

23 

 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

6.  Atlas 

Temperature regime 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Precipitation 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Climatic water balance 

Weather events 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

Maize 

28 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JRC MARS Bulletin Vol. 30 No 10 – 24 October 2022 

The JRC MARS Bulletin – Crop monitoring in Europe is a 
European Commission publication of the Joint 
Research Centre’s AGRI4CAST project (JRC Food 
Security Unit – Directorate for Sustainable Resources) 

JRC MARS Bulletins are available at 
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/mars/bulletins 

AGRI4CAST Resources are available at 
https://agri4cast.jrc.ec.europa.eu 

Analysis and reports 
B. Baruth, S. Bassu, W. Ben Aoun, I. Biavetti, M. Bratu, I. 
Cerrani,  Y.  Chemin,  M.  Claverie,  P.  De  Palma,  D. 
Fumagalli, G. Manfron, J. Morel, L. Nisini, L. Panarello, G. 
Ronchetti, M. Rossi, L. Seguini, E. Tarnavsky, M. van den 
Berg, Z. Zajac, A. Zucchini 

Reporting support  
SeproTec, I. Biavetti, G. Mulhern 

Edition  
M. van den Berg, S. Niemeyer, M. van der Velde 

Data production 
AGRI4CAST (Food Security Unit JRC D5), MARSOP6 
Consortium. 

Vol. 30 No 8 

Contact 
JRCMARSBULLETIN@ec.europa.eu  

Legal notice 
Neither the European Commission nor any person acting on 
behalf of the Commission is responsible for the use, which 
might be made of this publication. 

Disclaimer 
The geographic borders are purely a graphical representation 
and are only intended to be indicative. The boundaries do not 
necessarily reflect the official European Commission position.   

Technical note  
The long-term average (LTA) used within this Bulletin as a 
reference is calculated on the basis of weather data from 
1991-2021.  

© European Union, 2022 

Vol. 30 No 9 

Vol. 30 No 10 

Vol. 30 No 11 

Vol. 30 No 12 

Reference 

Vol. 30 No 1 
Vol. 30 No 2 
Vol. 30 No 3 

Vol. 30 No 4 

Vol. 30 No 5 

Vol. 30 No 6 

Vol. 30 No 7 

JRC MARS Bulletins 2022 

Date 

Publication 

24 Jan 
21 Feb 
21 Mar 

26 Apr 

23 May 

20 Jun 

25 Jul 

22 Aug 

19 Sep 

24 Oct 

21 Nov 

19 Dec 

Agromet analysis 
Agromet analysis 
Agromet analysis, 
pasture analysis,   
yield forecast 
Agromet analysis, 
remote sensing, 
pasture analysis, 
sowing conditions, yield 
forecast 
Agromet analysis, 
remote sensing, 
pasture analysis, 
sowing update, yield 
forecast 
Agromet analysis, 
remote sensing, 
pasture analysis, rice 
analysis, yield forecast  
Agromet analysis, 
remote sensing, 
pasture analysis, 
harvesting conditions, 
yield forecast 
Agromet analysis, 
remote sensing, 
pasture update, 
harvesting update, yield 
forecast 
Agromet analysis, 
remote sensing, 
pasture analysis, rice 
analysis, harvesting 
update, yield forecast  
Agromet analysis, 
pasture update, sowing 
conditions, harvesting 
update, yield forecast  
Agromet analysis, 
sowing update, 
harvesting update 
Agromet analysis 

Mission statement: As the science and knowledge service of 
the European Commission, the Joint Research Centre's mission 
is to support EU policies with independent evidence throughout 
the whole policy cycle.  

PDF: KJ-AW-22-010-EN-N ISSN 2443-8278 doi:10.2760/23690