Wheat and barley are favored by the climate in the Middle East

Recent rains in the Middle East have improved the outlook for winter wheat and barley in crops in the vegetative to reproductive stages, according to the USDA's Weekly Crop Bulletin. Rainfall expanded and intensified, leading to better soil moisture supply to crops. However, growing areas further east, specifically Iran's Khorasan Province, continued to experience heat and drought, leading to a decline in winter grain production prospects. Turkey received an additional 10 to 50mm of rain, with some areas seeing over 150mm of rain in the east. This further improved the soil moisture supply for winter grain. In other areas, including the eastern Mediterranean coast, Iraq and western Iran, moderate to heavy rainfall, ranging from 10 to 140 mm, has returned to growing areas, increasing the moisture supply for wheat and barley. The recent rains are expected to have a positive impact on winter crops, particularly in areas that have experienced drought in recent months. Despite the ...