EU oilseed output seen rising 12%
5/24/2004 (Agra Europe) - Oilseed production in the EU-15 is seen risingto 13.83 million tonnes this year, up 12.0% on the 12.35mt harvested in2003, according to grain lobby Coceral. Meanwhile, oilseed production innew member state Poland is seen rising nearly 50% to 1.125mt.
The area sown to oilseeds has been estimated at 5.227 million hectares, upslightly on the 5.204m ha sown last year, while yields are seen rising to26 tonnes per hectare from 24t/ha in 2003 and 25t/ha in 2002.
The majority of EU oilseed production is accounted for by rapeseed, withCoceral forecasting the 2004 at 10.33mt, compared to the drought reduced9.41mt in 2003. The harvested area is seen at 3.29m ha versus 3.20m halast year. Meanwhile, EU-15 rapeseed yields are expected to increase to31t/ha this year, from 29t/ha last year and 30t/ha in 2002.
Rapeseed production is seen rising in all of the main EU-15 producingcountries. Top producer Germany is expected to harvest 4.224mt this year,up 15.8% on 2003 as a result of increased yields, while the French crop isseen reaching 3.454mt versus last year's 3.324mt.
Sunflower output up 14.6%
Coceral estimates that sunflower seed output in the EU-15 this year willrise 14.5% to 2.806mt, compared to 2003's 2.449mt. The area sown tosunflowers is seen at 1.692m ha, down from the 1.75m ha sown to theoilseed in 2003, while yields are forecast to increase to 17t/ha, versus14t/ha in 2003 and 15.4t/ha in 2002.
The main sunflower seed producers in the EU-15 are found in southernEurope, which was heavily affected by last summer's hot, dry weather.French production is estimated at 1.56mt this year, up 12.2% on 2003,while the sunflower seed crops in Spain and Italy are seen rebounding by29.6% and 3.4% to 850 000t and 181 000t respectively, Coceral said.
The EU-15 soyabean crop is estimated at 696 000t this year, up from 491000t in 2003, mainly due to a recovery in Italian production, which isseen rising 20.3% to 450 000t. The sown area in the EU-15 is seenremaining more or less stable at an estimated 245 000ha this year, whilesoyabean yields are forecast to jump to 28t/ha from the 20t/ha seen lastyear.
Polish oilseed output rising
Meanwhile, Polish oilseed production, which is accounted for entirely byrapeseed, is seen rising by nearly 50% to 1.125mt this year, according toCoceral.
The area sown to the crop is estimated to have risen by nearly 100 000hato 525 000ha, while rapeseed yields are also seen jumping to 21.4t/ha from17.7t/ha last year, but down on the 21.9t/ha harvested in 2002. (l)
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