September 29, 2008

  

EU grain crop forecast seen at 306.2 million tonnes

       

 

European Union 2008-09 grain production forecast has been revised upwards to 306.2 million tonnes, from the June estimate of 288.8 million tonnes, the EU's organization of grain traders, the Comite du Commerce des Cereales, or Coceral, said Friday (September 26).

 

This is also a 20 percent increase on the 2007-08 crop output.

 

Soft wheat was the main driver for the higher forecast, with production now estimated at 140.7 million tonnes, up from June's figure of 130.3 million tonnes and up 26 percent on the year.

 

The EU grain area remained unchanged at 59 million hectares, a 6.8 percent increase on the year, said Coceral.

 

EU 2008-09 oilseed production is anticipated to rise to 26 million tonnes, up 1.4 million tonnes from the June estimate and 2.8 million tonnes on the year.

 

This season's crops have benefited from mostly good weather conditions, unlike last season's adverse weather, and the planted area rose after the EU abolished the mandatory 10 percent set-aside scheme.
 
The following are tables of Coceral EU grain and oilseed crop output forecasts (in million tonnes):

 

 

2008-09 September estimate

2008-09 June estimate

2008-09 March estimate

2007-08

Soft Wheat

140.7

130.3

128.6

111.7

Durum

9.3

8.9

8.6

7.4

Barley

65.3

61.5

59.5

57.5

Corn

57.7

56

54.5

46.3

Rye

9.1

8.8

8.8

7.6

Oats

9.1

8.7

9

8.9

Mixed grain

4.5

4.5

4.9

5.1

GRAIN TOTAL

306.2

288.8

283.9

254.3

Rapeseed

18.9

18

17.9

17.7

Sunflower

6.6

6.1

6.1

4.9

Soy

0.9

0.9

0.9

0.9

OILSEED TOTAL

26.4

25

25

23.5

       

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