Rapeseed production dips in France, Germany and Poland

25-Jul-2016 - Last updated on 26-Jul-2016 at 13:13 GMT

The France based cereal market analysts, Strategie Grains, released an update on the status of EU oilseed and protein crop production today.

Rapeseed yields are excellent, even at record highs, in south-east and central Europe, they noted.

However, overall, the EU’s rapeseed output is revised down by 570 kt to 20.67 Mt. It came in at 21.95 Mt last year.

Production is down in France (-410 kt), Germany (-160 kt) and Poland (-230 kt) due to yield cuts.

It is up in Hungary (+110 kt), Bulgaria (+45 kt) and the Czech Republic (+20 kt), as a result of yield increases, and in Denmark (+40 kt) and Lithuania (+20 kt), due to acreage increases, according to the publication.

Harvests

As of Monday July 25, the harvest is complete in Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary while it was in progress in France, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Germany and the UK, said the agency.

Germany are below expectations especially in the north-east where there was a lack of rainfall throughout the growth cycle, the grain analysts reported.

They expect below-average yields in the UK, noting cool temperatures, a lack of sunshine and strong pest pressure this year have cut into the crop’s potential in that market.

In France, the latest feedback indicates yields generally 10 to 20% below last year, because of poor flowering conditions, poor grain filling and very heavy pest pressure, said the analysts.

Oil quality

Regarding quality, the Strategie Grains report found there is significant variety in oil contents in the rapeseed crop in France and Germany, with low levels frequently encountered — around the 40% mark — due to the low amount of sunshine at rapeseed maturing time.

Quality is a little bit lower than last year in Poland, with a maximum oil content of 42 to 43%, noted the publication. However, quality is better than last year in Romania, with the oil content averaging 44%, reported the analysts.

In Bulgaria, they found the oil content is higher than last year, at around 43 to 44%.

Good oil content levels are also reported in Croatia and in Hungary.

EU soybean production

There has been little change to the EU’s soybean output this month, added the analysts.

They noted production is up in France (+70 kt) due to an acreage increase but down in Italy (-30 kt), the Czech Republic and Slovakia (-10 kt each) due to acreage decreases.