EU grain crop estimates in

At that level, it is only slightly higher than the 296.5m tons harvested in 2016/17, noted the association.

It forecasts that the wheat crop, including durum wheat, will be 151.1m tons, which remains well above the 145.2m tons harvested last year.

The EU’s barley crop stands at 58.4m tons, said the trade group.

Corn harvests took place later than usual, and so output in that crop is pegged at 61.4m tons, it added.

COCERAL estimates the 2017/18 rapeseed crop in the EU at 22m tons. The production estimate for Poland was lowered on the back of disappointing yields.

Romania continues to build up its presence in rapeseed supplies both within the EU and to external markets, noted UkAgroConsult last month.

Looking further ahead 

Meanwhile, Strategie Grains believes Europe’s 2018/19 rapeseed crop will jump to 22.6mn tons due to on-going yield rises that the consultancy estimates will continue into next year, according to an article on Reuters.

The French agency also sees rapeseed planted area as flat, at around 6.7 million hectares. It forecast sunflower production to dip slightly to 9 million tons and EU soybean production to increase, ever so slightly, coming in at 2.7 million tons. 

However, planting decisions by farmers for next spring are still awaited.