October 2, 2006

EU 2006/07 rapeseed crop seen unchanged 

European Union rapeseed output in 2006/07 is estimated at 15.4 million tonnes, nearly unchanged on the year, the EU's organisation of grain traders, the Comite du Commerce des Cereales, or Coceral, said Friday (Sep 29).

In June Coceral had forecast EU rapeseed production at a similar figure of 15.3 million tonnes.

While the EU's rapeseed area was estimated to be up from last season, yields were figured to be down.

Overall EU oilseed output is estimated at 20.4 million tonnes, up 1.4 percent from last year and nearly unchanged from a June forecast.

EU sunflower output is forecast at 3.4 million tonnes, down from 3.8 million tonnes in 2005/06. EU soybean production in 2006/07 is seen at 941,000 tonnes, up from 843,000 tonnes last year.

In France, the EU's largest oilseed producer, output is forecast at 5.6 million tonnes, down from a previous forecast of 6.3 million tonnes and last year's crop of 6.1 million tonnes.

Germany's oilseed output is forecast at 5.4 million tonnes, up from the late June forecast of 4.9 million tonnes and higher than the 5.1 million tonnes in 2005/06.

UK oilseed production is figured at 1.9 million tonnes, nearly unchanged from last season.