Analysts of the European trade association COCERAL have lowered the forecast for the total production of oilseeds in the EU in 2022 from the preliminary estimate announced in August by 900 thousand tons to 31.3 million tons.
In particular, the forecast for the gross harvest of rapeseed was raised by 1.1 million tons to 19.5 million tons. According to experts, the highest oilseed harvest this year is expected in Poland, the Czech Republic and Lithuania – 3.59 million tons, 1.3 million tons and 1 million tons, respectively. And farmers in Slovakia and the Czech Republic will achieve the highest yield – 35 centners per hectare.
The estimate of soybean production in the September report was reduced by almost 0.4 million tons to 2.78 million tons. COCERAL experts predict the highest gross harvest this year in Romania – 420 thousand tons with a yield of 21 centners per hectare. Croatia is next with 232 thousand tons and 29 centners per hectare. Closes the top three – Hungary – 147 thousand tons and 21.7 centners per hectare.
The final indicator of the sunflower harvest for 2022 is also reduced – by 1.7 million tons, to 9 million tons. It is noted that three countries (Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary) will provide the EU with about 60% of the total projected oilseed production – this is 2.45 million tons, 1.82 million tons and 1.18 million tons of seeds, respectively.
Earlier, European Commission experts announced a drought, which led to a decrease in crops in part of the EU. According to the report of experts, the lack of moisture and temperature stress leads to a reduction in crop yields compared to previous forecasts.
The consequences of the drought have already affected the agriculture of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Romania and France. To a certain extent, weather conditions also affected agricultural producers in Hungary, Germany, Poland, Slovenia and Croatia.