EU: Barley area expected to increase by 300,000 ha for harvest 2018
Strategie Grains said that some of the area lost to sowings of wheat of which the vast majority is autumn planted in the EU would be switched to barley in the new season, Agrimoney.com reported on November 16.
The group forecast EU barley area for the 2018 harvest at 12.4 mln hectares, a rise of 300,000 hectares, an increase down to spring crop.
Spring barley
picks up additional acreage for 2018 as a result of the arduous conditions for winter cereal sowings in north Europe and the current favourable price context for barley, the group said.
The analysts are foreseeing wheat area on course for a fourth successive year of decline, undermined by weak prices and wet weather.