April 23, 2008

EU grain output for 2008 to be up 11 percent on-year

EU 2008 grain output is estimated to rise to 283.4 million tonnes, up 11 percent from 255 million tonnes last season, Hamburg-based grain trading house Toepfer International said in a monthly report Tuesday (April 22, 2008).

This is just above a forecast range made in January of 277 million-282 million tonnes.

The outlook for the EU wheat crop has improved with recent rainfall in Spain and the Balkans, said the report.

Toepfer forecast EU 2008 wheat output at 128.4 million tonnes, up from 111.5 million in 2007. EU barley production was estimated at 59.5 million tonnes, up from 57.7 million tonnes last year; and 2008 EU corn output was seen at 54.6 million tonnes, up from 47.2 million tonnes in 2007.