EU & UK: Barley crop forecast increased to 61.2 mln tonnes

COCERAL, in its latest forecast for the 2024 European Union/United Kingdom grain crop, trimmed its projection by 1 million tonnes to 295.5 million. If realized, it would still be 3.1 million tonnes higher than production in 2023, said COCERAL, a European association that focuses on agricultural trade.

Wheat production (excluding durum) is pegged at 134.1 million tonnes, compared to 139.4 million in the December forecast and down from 140 million last year, a 4% year-on-year decrease. Record rainfall late last year had a major impact on winter cereal (wheat/winter barley) sowing in northwestern Europe (France, Germany, UK, Baltics, Poland), while Spain’s production will substantially increase compared to 2023.

The EU-27+UK 2024 barley production is now forecast at 61.2 million tonnes, up from 58.6 million in the previous forecast and 55.7 million harvested in 2023. The report noted that barley output in Denmark, Finland, and Spain will surpass last year’s total.

The preliminary EU-27 forecast for corn production is 64.3 million tonnes, up from 63.7 million forecast in December and 62.5 million in 2023.

The EU-27+UK rapeseed crop is forecast at 20.2 million tonnes, essentially unchanged from the previous forecast and down from last year’s 21.3 million.

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