World: Barley production forecast trimmed to 53.1 mln tonnes for this year

Consultancy Strategie Grains has trimmed its forecast for 2024 soft wheat production in the European Union, with output still expected to be down 2.5% from last year after a rain-disrupted sowing campaign, the Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide reported on February 17.

Strategie Grains forecast EU production of soft wheat, the bloc’s main cereal crop, at 122.6 million metric tons, down from 122.7 million projected in January and 2.5% below last year’s harvest of 125.8 million tons.

“Excessive autumn rains, having already hampered plantings, are still causing concern in terms of the impact on yield potential,” Stategie Grains said of soft wheat in its monthly EU cereal report.

The consultancy trimmed its forecast for EU barley production this year to 53.1 million tons from 53.4 million tons forecast last month, still 12% above last year’s drought-hit level.

The EU maize harvest forecast was raised to 64.0 million tons from 63.6 million tons last month, now up 4.6% from the previous year.

EU farmers are expected to increase sowing of spring barley and maize after rain prevented some growers from completing sowing of winter grains such as wheat.

Excess moisture was also hampering early spring barley sowing in France and Spain, though there were no major concerns yet at EU level, Strategie Grains said.

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