Downward revision for EU wheat, rapeseed production but corn output forecast higher

That output would also be 12.6m tons lower than the 2019 level of 311.8m tons.

COCERAL’s data covers the EU-27 countries along with production for the UK.

Wheat production, excluding durum, is predicated at 129.7m tons, down from the previous 135.4m tons forecast in March. Last year, European wheat production reached 146.8m tons in 2019,

The downward revision in wheat production is mainly due to a significant yield reduction in France, Germany, and Denmark arising out of dryness, reported COCERAL, which is the European association representing the trade in cereals, rice, feedstuffs, oilseeds, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply.

Barley, corn crop data ​

The EU’s 2020 barley production is now forecast at 63.4m tons, an increase from the 61.5m tons forecast in the group’s previous forecast and a hike on the 62.m tons of 2019.

COCERAL said that a higher than previously expected barley crop in Spain was pushing the figures upwards.

The EU’s 2020 corn crop is revised up to 66.8m tons, 1.3m tons greater than the March numbers. Last year’s EU corn crop came in at 64.9m tons.

The corn acreage is seen as benefiting from the wet planting campaign for winter grains, placed at at 9.2m ha compared to 8.6m ha in 2019. “The most notable year-on-year increases in production are expected for France and Germany.”​

EU rapeseed output

The 2020 rapeseed production forecast for the EU-27 plus UK has been revised downwards from 17m tons to 16.5m tons mainly due to further downward revisions in Germany, France, the UK, and Romania.

Last year’s EU rapeseed crop stood at 16.9m tons, noted COCERAL.