Posted on June, 15, 2023 at 07:05 am
Grain trade association Coceral lowered on Monday its outlook for this year’s cereal harvest in the European Union, hit by dry weather in northern Europe and Spain.
In northern Europe, crop expectations had been reduced for Denmark, Germany, Sweden and the Baltic states, while the crop outlook had also been cut in Spain, where rains came too late for wheat and barley, Coceral said.
It cut the overall forecast for cereal production in the EU and Britain to 296.7 million tonnes from 303.5 million projected in March.
Downward revisions were concentrated in EU countries, with the outlook for Britain’s cereal crop stable at 23.4 million tonnes.
The steepest cut was for drought-affected Spain, with cereal production now expected at 11.9 million tonnes, down from 20.8 million forecast in March.
For soft wheat, Europe’s main cereal crop, 2023 production in the European Union and Britain was forecast at 142.4 million tonnes, down from 144.5 million estimated in March.
That would be slightly below last year’s crop of 142.5 million, Coceral said.
Expected soft wheat output in top grower France was raised to 35.1 million tonnes from 34.3 million, Coceral’s data showed.
However, traders have become more cautious about French prospects, too, as a dry spell in northern France has started to temper the season’s very good conditions so far.
For barley, Coceral’s 2023 crop forecast for the EU plus Britain was cut to 56.6 million tonnes from 59.3 million in March.
Expected corn production was lowered by a million tonnes, to 61.3 million, but was still seen recovering from last year’s drought-hit harvest of 52.5 million tonnes.
Corn production was forecast to rebound sharply in Bulgaria, Hungary, Italy and Romania, but the French crop was only expected to rise slightly due to reduced planting, Coceral said.
For rapeseed, Europe’s main oilseed crop, forecast 2023 rapeseed production in the EU and Britain was trimmed to 21.0 million tonnes from 21.1 million in March.
Coceral said a further forecast reduction was “very likely” if dryness persisted in the northern half of the European Union.
Source: Hellenics Shipping News