EU trims wheat production, keeps export forecast

PARIS: The European Commission cut slightly its 2020/21 forecast for usable common wheat production in the European Union's 27 countries to 115.8 million tonnes, from 115.9 million estimated last month.

In supply and demand projections released on its website, the Commission kept unchanged its monthly forecast for EU-27 exports of common wheat, or soft wheat, for the 2020/21 season that started in July at 24.0 million tonnes.

The EU executive also kept unchanged its estimate of usable maize production at 60.2 million but lowered projected maize imports to 21 million tonnes from 22 million seen last month.

Projected EU-27 barley output in the period was slightly lowered to 54.2 million tonnes compared with 54.3 million in late October. For rapeseed, the Commission kept its estimate of 2020/21 usable production at the 15.9 million projected last month.