EU farming group sees soft wheat crop falling to 117.5 million tons
The European Union’s farming association, Copa-Cogeca, forecasts a 6% decline in soft wheat production to 117.5 million metric tons, the smallest crop since 2018. Barley output is expected to drop 9% to 43 million tons, the lowest this century, while rapeseed production will decrease 8% to 18.2 million tons. Unfavorable weather conditions, including repeated rain and dryness, have impacted grain belts in northwest and eastern Europe. The forecast may worsen due to continued weather complications and delayed sowing. Maize production is projected to decrease 0.5% to 62.4 million tons.
PARIS, July 10 (Reuters) -European Union farming association Copa-Cogeca on Wednesday forecast that EU production of common wheat, or soft wheat, will fall by more than 6% this year as declines in countries like France outweigh an expected recovery in Spain.
In a harvest outlook, Copa-Cogeca projected the soft wheat crop at 117.5 million metric tons against 125.5 million last year. That would be the smallest crop since 2018.
It also forecast EU barley output will decline by over 9% this year to 43.0 million tons, which would be the lowest this century.
EU rapeseed production was forecast to drop nearly 8% to 18.2 million tons.
Grain belts in northwest Europe have been affected by repeated rain since autumn, while dryness is causing concern in some eastern parts of the EU.
“This already worrying forecast might very well worsen in the coming weeks and months, due to the complicated weather events and the impossibility of working in the fields,” Copa-Cogeca said in a note.
“Sowing was thus delayed in many areas making yields very sensitive to weather conditions in the coming weeks.”
Harvesting of barley, wheat and rapeseed is under way in the EU, with the well-advanced winter barley harvest in France supporting expectations of poor yields in the EU’s biggest grain producer.
For maize, which is harvested in autumn, Copa-Cogeca projected the 2024 crop at 62.4 million tons, down 0.5% from last year.
