December 12, 2006

EU 2006/07 rapeseed crop estimated at 15.9 million tonnes

The European Union produced 15.9 million tonnes of rapeseed in 2006/07, which is nearly unchanged on the year, despite an 8 percent increase in planted area, according to estimates released Monday (Dec 11) by the EU farm lobby group COPA-COGECA.

The group estimated the 2006/07 EU rapeseed area at 5.2 million hectares, but with yields down 8 percent at 3.03 tonnes a hectare.

The largest jump in rapeseed area was under the energy crops scheme, which offers farmers, who have contracts for the rapeseed to be used to make energy, a EUR45/hectare payment. Area under the scheme rose to 727,700 hectares, up from 418,200 hectares in 2005/06.

The amount of EU rapeseed area planted that can be used for food use rose to 3.8 million hectares, up from 3.7 million a year earlier. Rapeseed grown for non-food use on set-aside area increased to 739,200 hectares, up from 737,400 hectares in 2005/06.

The group estimates total 2006/07 oilseed output at 20.4 million tonnes, down 2.8 percent on the year.

COPA-COGECA estimates 2006/07 EU sunflower output at 3.8 million tonnes, down 7.2 percent on the year. This decline was mostly due to an 11 percent decline in area to 2.1 million hectares. EU soybean output was estimated at 789,100 tonnes, down 8 percent, with an 11 percent drop in area to 278,300 hectares.

For Romania and Bulgaria, which enter the EU Jan 1, 2007, total oilseed production for the two countries was estimated at 3.6 million tonnes, which is up 32 percent on the year amid increases in both area and yield.