Global Crop Watch

Global Crop Watch Summary, March 28, 2003.  Argentina and southern Brazil were drier this week compared to recent months.  Heavy rain that fell across South Africa's Maize Triangle, offered some, but not substantially improve conditions this late in the crop season. Western Europe remained unfavorably dry. Timely rain and snow continued across the U.S. central and southern plains.

Drought Occurs in Tanzania's cotton area.   Satellite data indicates that Tanzania's major cotton growing area is much less green compared to recent years', due to drought. For more information on current Tanzania conditions see the full story on the PECAD web-site. 

Favorable Growing Conditions Continue for Winter Grains Across Northwest Africa.  Winter grains are in better condition this year compared to last year due to more frequent region-wide rainfall.  The past two weeks, rains have been widespread across Morocco and western Algeria.  Eastern Algeria and Tunisia have been dry, but soil moisture is adequate and greater than last year.

Europe is Becoming Too Dry.  It has been 7 to 8 weeks since widespread precipitation fell across western Europe. Rainfall the last several weeks has been limited to the Iberian Peninsula. While clear weather favors field work, moisture is needed for tillering winter grains.

U.S. Southern Plains - Average Wheat Production and Soil Moisture Maps.  While soil moisture is adequate across much of the Southern Plains, large areas of drought continued across New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and Nebraska.  Rain was falling across Nebraska at the time of this writing.

U.S. Southern Plains - Soil Moisture Comparison Maps.  Soil moisture is greater than last year in late March across Kansas, Oklahoma, and eastern Texas.  While better than last year, the winter wheat and pastures across the Texas Panhandle could use more rainfall.

U.S. Seven Day Cumulative Precipitation Map Ending March 26, 2003.  Much needed precipitation fell across the Western Corn Belt and the Southern Plains.  Moisture remains quite favorable across Washington State and the eastern U.S.  More rain fell across Nebraska, and the Western Corn Belt on March 27.  The Northern Plains and the Southwest remain too dry.

Kansas Wheat Condition - Comparison Graph.  This graph prepared from data provided by USDA-NASS shows the percent of Kansas winter wheat crop in "poor-to-very poor" condition comparing the this year to the last two years.  As of March 24, 2003, winter wheat is in much better condition than last year shown in "green" and slightly better than the 2001 crop.