From May to July 2026, Germany entered a critical growth period for spring and summer crops. Winter wheat reached the core yield-formation stage of grain filling and maturation, while maize completed sowing and establishment and transitioned into rapid vegetative growth with canopy development. According to CropWatch agrometeorological monitoring, the monitoring period was characterized by a "warm, dry, and bright" climate, with soil moisture stress gradually intensifying: cumulative precipitation totaled 175 mm, significantly 24% below the 15-year average; the mean temperature was 18.0°C, 1.1°C above the 15-year average; and photosynthetically active radiation reached 850 MJ/m², 3% higher than the long-term average. Persistent hot and dry weather substantially increased evaporative demand across croplands, making soil water deficit the primary limiting factor for crop growth in the mid-to-late stages, with the risk of regional crop stress continuing to rise. During the monitoring period, Germany's cropland planting fraction reached 99%, 2% above the 5-year average. The VCIx stood at 0.94, and the CroPI reached 1.09, indicating adequate sowing coverage and favorable land-use conditions.

Germany's winter wheat production followed a trend of "slightly expanded area, broadly declining yields, and lower total production year-on-year" (Figures 2.11/2.12), with the overall production situation remaining stable but under pressure. The winter wheat planted area increased compared with 2025, rising slightly from 2,486 thousand hectares in 2025 to 2,552 thousand hectares in 2026, a year-on-year increase of 2.7%. The national average yield fell by 2.6% year-on-year, decreasing from 7,991 kg/ha in 2025 to 7,783 kg/ha in 2026. The expansion in planted area partly offset the impact of yield losses, and total winter wheat production in Germany is projected at 19.86 million tonnes, largely unchanged from the previous year.

Figure 2.13 German winter wheat distribution during May to July 2026

Figure 2.14 German winter wheat yield map during May to July 2026