PARIS - Warmer than usual weather in the European Union last month prevented winter crops from gaining frost tolerance, leaving most potentially at risk of damage in the event of a cold snap, the EU's crop monitoring unit said on Monday.
"Our model simulations indicate that frost tolerance is very weak in most of the EU," except for most of Scandinavia and parts of eastern Europe, where the winter crops are partially hardened, MARS said in its monthly report.
"The current situation is worrying as the occurrence of a cold air intrusion in areas with little or no snow cover could cause significant frost-kill damage in the winter crops that have not gained frost tolerance."
MARS said exceptionally warm weather had been observed in many parts of Europe, with average daily air temperatures in the first half of November of 4 to 6 degrees Celsius above the long-term average in central and western Europe.
Crops in Russia could also be more vulnerable than usual due to delayed emergence and weak establishment following a very dry autumn, even though this situation had improved recently, MARS said.
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The unit did not give any crop estimates in its report.
