December 6, 2004

EU-25 Rapeseed Output +26.5% At 15.01 Million MT 2004-05

Rapeseed production in the 25 member states of the European Union is forecast at 15.01 million metric tons in 2004, up 26.5% on the year, the E.U.'s organization of grain traders, the Comite du Commerce des Cereales, or Coceral, said Friday.

In its latest rapeseed production forecast for the 2004-05 marketing year, Coceral pegged output in Germany at 5.261 million tons, up 30.9% on the year, output in France at 3.954 million tons and 1.504 million tons in the U.K.

Output from the 10 new member states is seen at 3.312 million tons, up 52.3% on the year.

Sunflowerseed production for the E.U.-25 is forecast at 4.179 million tons in 2004, up 15.5% on the year, Coceral said.

Major producer France is expected to yield 1.454 million tons, while Spain is forecast to harvest 835,000 tons and Italian output should reach 125,000 tons.

E.U.-25 soymeal output in 2004 is forecast at 704,000 tons, up 21.5%.

Total 2004 oilseed production is seen at 19.893 million tons, up 23.6% on the year.

Coceral is the officially recognized representative of E.U. trade in cereals, feedstuffs, oilseeds, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply.