After previous years of setbacks, the winter barley harvest in France this season is likely to be the best in four years, and a significant increase in winter rapeseed yields is also expected.
According to the latest report from the French Ministry of Agriculture’s statistics office, a few weeks before the start of the winter barley and oilseed rape harvests, the first harvest estimates are good, thanks to the favorable weather for winter crops. Of course, the figures are provisional.
Estimates suggest that the French winter barley harvest could reach 9.1 million tonnes this year. This is due both to the expansion of their area and to the increase in yields.
Last year, the country’s farmers produced only 8.4 million tonnes of winter barley. Compared to 2022, their production will increase by 7.3%, and compared to the 2018-2022 average, the increase will be as high as 11.7%.
Mid-June prices for new harvest feed barley in Rouen, France’s most important trading center, reached €220/t, €15 higher than at the beginning of June.
Winter barley area in France increased by 2.8% year-on-year. Yields are expected to reach 6.83 t/ha, 4.4 percent above 2022 and 5.6 percent above the 2018-2022 average. French winter barley yields could therefore be the highest since 2019.
9.6% larger area for rapeseed this year
The expansion of the area under cultivation has led to a second consecutive year of increase in French winter oilseed rape production, which is currently estimated at 4.6 million tonnes. This season’s rapeseed area is 9.6% larger (118 000 ha) than last year. And this increase is expected to compensate for the slightly lower rapeseed yields forecast than last year.
It is estimated that the average yield of oilseed rape could reach 3.44 t/ha, which would be 6.4% below last year’s yield of 3.68 t/ha, but 5.7% above the average for 2018-2022.
The report from the French Ministry of Agriculture’s statistics office also shows a decrease in the area under maize for cereals to 1.2 million ha, down 8.9% on last year and as much as 15.1% lower than the 2018-2022 average.
Overall, the country’s area under spring cereals is down by 9.4% compared to last year and by 14.9% compared to the 2018-2022 average.
Compared to 2022, French farmers increased their soft wheat, winter barley, oilseeds and protein crops this year, while sugar beet and potatoes were planted less.