October 28, 2011

EU's 2011/12 grain output down

In the 2011/12 season, EU's total grain production is projected to decrease 3% below the five-year average to 280.1 million tonnes, the EU's forecasting agency said Thursday (Oct 27).

Soft wheat output is forecast to fall 1.7% on year with yields at the five-year average of 5.54 tonnes/hectare, durhum wheat production is forecast to fall 12.6% and winter barley by 9.9%, the Monitoring Agricultural Resources body said.

Corn output, however, is expected to rise 8% on year, with yields rising 6% above the average of recent years at 7.11 tonnes/hectare. Among the main producers, output is forecast higher than last year as well, including a 16.6% gain in Spain and a 4% increase in Italy.

"Yield forecast for grain corn is higher than the five years' average in all EU27 producers," MARS said.