May 19, 2011

 

Germany experiences a decline in 2011 grain production

 

 

Germany's 2011 grain crop will most probably decrease 8.2% on the year to 40.7 million tonnes due to dry weather which cut output, according to the German Farm Cooperatives Association on Wednesday (May 17) in its new harvest forecast.

 

This was down on its previous estimate of 44.1 million tonnes for grains of all types in April.

 

Germany's 2011 wheat harvest is likely to fall 7.2% on the year to 22.31 million tonnes from 24 million tonnes last year, it said.

 

This was down from 25.5 million tonnes of wheat forecast in April for the 2011 harvest.

 

Germany is the EU second largest wheat producer after France.

 

Germany's rapeseed harvest is likely to fall 22.6% on the year to 4.4 million tonnes, it said. This was down from 5.1 million tonnes forecast in April.

 

European wheat futures jumped to a three-month high on Wednesday (May 18) partly on rising concern about drought damage to European crops.

 

Parts of central Europe had 40% less of their long-term average rainfall from February-April. Drought in much of Europe looks set to continue with little relief for parched farmland until June at the earliest, forecasters said.

 

French analyst Agritel forecast on Wednesday (May 18) that France's 2011 wheat crop to fall by 11.5% due to persistent draught.

 

Germany had some rain this week but damage has now been suffered, the cooperatives association said.

 

"The dry period in March and April has reduced the potential for this year's grain crop by at least four million tonnes compared to a normal harvest year," the association said.

 

Dry weather in past weeks had been particularly bad in north Germany and may lead to significant loss of yields, it said.

 

Rapeseed yields had been especially hard-hit by drought. The estimated rapeseed planted area had also been reduced to 1.36 million hectares against 1.46 million hectares last year as frosts followed by dryness ruined some plantings, it said.

 

Germany's harvest of winter barley used for animal feed is forecast to fall 18.5% to 7.07 million tonnes, it said.

 

Some other crops damaged by the hard winter and drought had been replaced by summer barley.