2.6 Western Europe

This reporting period covers the over-wintering and spring green-up periods for the important winter cereals, and the sowing periods of the spring crop in the Western European Major Production Zone (MPZ). Crops in this region are mainly rainfed and agro-meteorological conditions play a crucial role. Overall crop growth conditions in the MPZ were above average based on the interpretation of agro-climatic and agronomic indicators monitored by Cropwatch (Fig. 2.6).

CropWatch agronomic indicators show that the crop production index of the MPZ was 0.99, consistent with the average level of the past 5YA (ΔCPI +0%), an increase of 0.01 compared with the previous year. The average maximum VCI for the MPZ reached a value of 0.87 during this reporting period, and the spatial distribution shows that areas with maximum VCI values below 0.5 are concentrated in the east, south-east and north-east of Spain, the east-central part of the UK; also, the maximum VCI values between 0.5 and 0.8 are concentrated in the west of Spain, west-central part of the UK, the north-east and south-east of Italy, the south-west and north, south-east of France, and the north-east, north and north-west of Germany; most of  the other regions have maximum VCI values above 0.8. About 95% of arable land was cropped, which was 0.5% higher than the recent 5YA average in the whole MPZ. The uncropped areas of arable land were mainly concentrated in Spain, northern and southeastern Italy and a few pockets in almost all other countries of this MPZ. The average VHI minimum for the MPZ was 0.38 during this reporting period, indicating that the overall crop growth during the monitoring period was not affected by the drought. The VHI minimum map shows that some pockets of France, Germany, the UK, Spain and Italy were affected by short spells of drought conditions, which is also consistent with the spatial distribution of regions with values below 0.5 in the spatial distribution map of  maximum VCI.

CropWatch agroclimatic indicators show that adequate precipitation continued from the previous monitoring period, and the rainfall in this MPZ was significantly higher by 13.6%. According to the spatial distribution of rainfall profiles, with the exception of early and late March in southwestern Spain, southeastern France, and northwestern Italy (red areas in Figure 2.6a), which had significantly higher than average precipitation, overall precipitation fluctuated sharply above and below the average across the different regions of the MPZ during the monitoring period. Only Italy (ΔRAIN -12.6%) and Spain (ΔRAIN -10%) experienced precipitation deficits. Abundant accumulated precipitation is conducive to the growth of winter crops, but excessive precipitation may have adverse effects on crop yield and quality. At the same time, the MPZ experienced relatively mild weather (ΔTEMP +1.8°C), and lower solar radiation conditions (ΔRADPAR -7.1%). As shown in the spatial distribution of temperature profiles, the MPZ areas experienced significantly warmer-than-usual conditions from late January to February, and the period between mid-March and mid-April; while significant below-average temperatures were mainly observed in the UK, Germany and France (except for the south-west) in early to mid-January (green areas in Fig. 2.6b), and Spain, south-west France, north, central and south-east Italy (blue areas in Fig. 2.6b) in early March, also includes the entire MPZ in late April. 

Due to the combined effect of abundant precipitation and warmer average temperatures , the potential BIOMSS was 11.4% above the 15YA. The Biomass accumulation potential departure showed that the lowest BIOMSS values (-20% and less) were observed for southeastern part of Spain and southeastern of Italy. In contrast, BIOMSS was above average (+10% and more), mainly in Germany, much of France, central and southern UK, central Spain and northern Italy. 

Generally, the conditions of winter crops in the MPZ were favorable, but more rain will be needed in several important crop production areas to ensure an adequate soil moisture supply during the grain-filling phase of the winter cereals and growth of summer crops.

Figure 2.6. Western Europen MPZ: Agro-climatic and agronomic indicators, January 2024 to June 2024.

(a) Spatial distribution of rainfall profiles                             (b) Profiles of rainfall departure from average (mm) 

(c) Spatial distribution of temperature profiles                 (d) Profiles of temperature departure from average (℃) 

(e) Maximum VCI

(f) Cropped arable land

(h) Biomass accumulation potential departure

(g) VHI minimum

(i)Crop Production index time series chart