December 19, 2007

Poland's 2007 grain harvest rises 25 percent 
 

Poland's total grain output rose 24.6 percent to 27.1 million tonnes this year due to favourable weather conditions early in the season, the statistics office (GUS) said on Tuesday (December 19, 2007).

Although there was more rain this year than farmers would have liked, the warm autumn of 2006 and early spring were still better for crops than the drought and floods that cut last year's harvest to 22 million tonnes.

GUS said rapeseed production was up 28.7 percent to 2.1 million tonnes while corn output rose by 36.6 percent to 1.7 million tonnes.

The data is in line with expectations, said Marta Skrzypczyk, agricultural markets analyst from BGZ Bank.

Lower harvest results were expected mainly due to the export and domestic sales figures which were lower despite the growth in production, she added.

Skrzypczyk added that the large harvest would prevent sharp increases in grain prices.