This monitoring period covers the sowing of spring crops and the key growth of fall-sown and fall-harvested crops. Winter wheat and barley were at the late vegetative stages in late April and reached maturity in July. Based on the agroclimatic and agronomic indicators, the crop conditions in Germany were generally below the 5-year average between April and June in most regions, and even worse than in 2018. This applies to already harvested winter wheat and spring wheat.

At the national level, total precipitation was significantly below average (RAIN, -22%), temperature was slightly below average (TEMP, -0.4°C) and radiation above average (RADPAR, +2%). It can be seen from the time series rainfall profile for Germany that the precipitation was significantly below average during the monitoring period, except in early June, mid-June, and early July. The temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation shows that above-average precipitation occurred in most parts of Germany in early May and mid-June, and southeast of Bavaria, Hesse, north of Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in early June and early July. However, most parts of Germany experienced a precipitation deficit in mid- and late May and mid-July. Most of the country experienced cooler-than-usual conditions during this reporting period, except for April, mid-June and late June. The temporal and spatial distribution of temperature shows that the regions with significantly cooler-than-usual weather were mainly distributed in the northern part of Germany in mid-May and after July, and the southern part of Germany from early May to early June, and mid-July. Due to cooler-than-usual conditions and precipitation deficit, the biomass production potential (BIOMSS) is estimated to decrease by 4% nationwide as compared to the fifteen-year average.

As shown in the crop condition development graph and the NDVI profiles at the national level, NDVI values were below the 5YA and last year's average until mid-June, then close to average from late June to early July, and below average again after mid-July. These observations are confirmed by the clustered NDVI profiles: 87.6% of regional NDVI values were below average from mid-April to early June, then 71.3% of regional NDVI values were above average. These observations are also confirmed by lower VCI value area in the spatial distribution of maximum VCI map due to the effect of superimposed changes from precipitation and temperature. Overall VCIx for Germany was 0.91. CALF during the reporting period was the same as for the recent five-year average.

Generally, the agronomic indicators show unfavorable conditions for most winter and summer crops in Germany. More rain will be needed to ensure an adequate soil moisture supply for the reproductive phase of the summer crops.

Regional analysis

Based on cropping systems, climatic zones, and topographic conditions, six sub-national agro-ecological regions are adopted for Germany. They include: the Wheat Zone of Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic coast, Mixed Wheat and Sugar beet Zone of the Northwest, Central Wheat Zone of Saxony and Thuringia, Sparse Crop Area of the East-German Lake and Heathland area, Western Sparse Crop Area of the Rhenish Massif and the Bavarian Plateau.  

According to the CropWatch agroclimatic indicators, these six regions experienced the same trend of precipitation and temperature, compared to the average of the past 15 years. RAIN was below average by -27%, -25%, -13%, -14%, -28% and -21%,  respectively; Temperature was below average by -0.7°C, -0.3°C, -0.6°C, -0.7°C, -0.2°C and -0.4°C, respectively; RADPAR was above average by 0%, +3%, +1%, +1%, +3% and +2%, respectively. Due to cooler-than-usual conditions and precipitation deficit, the biomass production potential (BIOMSS) in the six regions was below average by -6%, -2%, -7%, -7%, -1% and -4%, respectively.

As shown in the crop condition development graph based on NDVI, all six regions had the same trend of change, that is, NDVI values were below average and last year until mid-June, then stayed close to average before they dropped to below average again. 

CropWatch agronomic indicators show that CALF of all six regions reached 100%, with a zero departure from their 5YA. As mentioned above, they also recorded a favorable VCIx value at 0.92, 0.90, 0.89, 0.90, 0.89 and 0.93, respectively.

Figure 3.13. Germany’s crop condition, April-July 2020

Figure 3.13a. Phenology of major crops in Germany

Figure 3.13b. Crop condition development graph based on NDVI, comparing the April-July 2020 period to the previous season and the five-year average (5YA) and maximum

Figure 3.13c. Maximum VCI for the April-July 2020 period

Figure 3.13d. Spatial NDVI patterns for Germany up to July 2020 according to local cropping patterns and as compared to the 5YA (left) and (e) associated NDVI profiles (right)

Figure 3.13e. Proportion of NDVI anomaly categories compared with 5YA in Germany

Figure 3.13f. Proportion of VHIn categories compared with 5YA in Germany

Figure 3.13g. Time series rainfall profile (left) and temperature profile (right) of Germany comparing the April-July 2020 period to the previous season and the five-year average (5YA) and maximum

Figure 3.13h. Wheat zone of Schleswig-Holstein and the Baltic Coast crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left), time series rainfall profiles (middle) and temperature (right)

Figure 3.13i. Mixed wheat and sugarbeets zone of the north-west crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left), time series rainfall profiles (middle) and temperature (right)

Figure 3.13j. Central wheat zone of Saxony and Thuringia crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left), time series rainfall profiles (middle) and temperature (right)

Figure 3.13k. East-German lake and Heathland sparse crop area crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left), time series rainfall profile (middle) and  temperature (right)

Figure 3.15l. Western sparse crop area of the Rhenish massif crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left), time series rainfall profile (middle) and temperature (right)

Figure 3.13m. Bavarian Plateau crop condition development graph based on NDVI (left), time series rainfall profile (middle) and temperature (right)

Table 3.17. Germany agro-climatic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's values and departure from 15YA,  April-July 2020

Table 3.18. Germany agronomic indicators by sub-national regions, current season's value and departure from 5YA,  April-July 2020