WORLD AGRICULTURAL WEATHER HIGHLIGHTS

June 9, 2000

UNITED STATES: During May, heavy rainfall soaked the northern Corn Belt, easing or eliminating long-term drought, while dryness persisted in the southwestern Corn Belt. Mostly dry weather, accompanied by occasional extreme heat, stressed dryland crops and increased irrigation requirements in the Southwest, Southeast, and central and southern Plains. In the latter region, the heat and dryness accelerated winter wheat maturation and initial wheat harvesting. Meanwhile, late-month precipitation aided drought-stressed small grains on the northern Plains. Heavy rainfall slowed fieldwork and crop development in the Northeast, but provided significant long-term drought relief in the western Gulf Coast region. The month's most significant freeze affected the central High Plains on May 13, stressing heading winter wheat. On the southern Plains, early-June showers eased stress on summer crops and promoted additional cotton and sorghum planting.

CANADA: In the Prairies, early-June rainfall benefited emerging grains and oilseeds, but lingering cold may necessitate replanting. In Ontario, rain has kept winter wheat unfavorably wet, but improved moisture for corn and soybean establishment.

SOUTH AMERICA: In cental Argentina, excessive mid-May rainfall delayed summer crop harvesting and caused local flooding and possible crop damage. However, mostly dry weather for the remainder of May and early June helped to dry out wet fields. The rainfall boosted soil moisture for upcoming winter wheat planting, but delayed pre-planting soil preparations. In southern Brazil, although below-normal May rainfall favored winter wheat planting from eastern Rio Grande do Sul to eastern Parana, rain is needed for wheat establishment and second-crop corn development.

EUROPE: During May, scattered showers in northwestern Europe maintained adequate soil moisture for winter grains and summer crops. In the Iberian peninsula, frequent showers continued to improve moisture supplies, but slowed winter grain maturation in the south. In northeastern Europe, showers eased April dryness as winter grains entered reproduction. Unseasonably warm, dry weather continued in southeastern Europe, stressing reproductive to filling winter grains and vegetative summer crops.

FSU-WESTERN: Unseasonably cold weather in May, including some nighttime freezes, slowed winter grain development and spring planting activities. The greatest potential for freeze damage existed for newly emerged spring-sown crops in Ukraine, southern Russia, and Belarus. Dryness persisted in Moldova and southern Ukraine in May, and was accompanied by hot weather and low humidity in early June, increasing stress on crops.

FSU-NEW LANDS: Wet, cool weather since early May in Russia and Kazakstan caused significant spring grain planting delays, but boosted soil moisture for the upcoming growing season.

MIDDLE EAST AND TURKEY: Overall warm, dry weather favored winter grain harvesting from southern Turkey and Syria through Iran. Beneficial spring rains continued to benefit wheat development in central and northern Turkey and increased long-term irrigation for summer crops such as cotton.

SOUTH ASIA: The monsoon arrived on schedule over southern India, bringing beneficial planting rains to important grain, oilseed, and cotton areas. Locally heavy rain caused some additional flooding in rice areas of eastern India and Bangladesh.

EASTERN ASIA: In the North China Plain, scattered May rainfall brought some relief to rainfed wheat, but more rain was needed for summer crop development, especially in southern Hebei and northern Henan. Late-May and early-June rain benefited summer crops in the southern Yellow River Basin (southern Henan, Anhui, and Jiangsu). In Manchuria, near-normal May rainfall provided adequate soil moisture for germinating summer crops. Near-normal May rainfall maintained moisture supplies for early rice and summer crops across the Yangtze Valley. In southeastern China (Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, and northern Guangdong), however, below-normal rainfall reduced moisture supplies for rice.

SOUTHEAST ASIA: During May, most of Indochina and the Philippines received above-normal rainfall, increasing moisture supplies. The above-normal rainfall benefited main-season rice in Thailand, but caused delays in second-season rice harvesting in Thailand and winter-spring rice harvesting in Vietnam. Main-season rice in the Philippines and oil palm throughout Indonesia also benefited from above-normal rainfall. In Java, Indonesia, the wet weather during the month caused harvest delays of main-season rice, but increased moisture supplies for second-crop rice.

AUSTRALIA: Winter crop planting reportedly made good progress in most areas, although some delays were occurring in Western Australia due to topsoil dryness. Timely, albeit light showers since late May in the southeast have improved planting prospects.