EU forecasts higher wheat crop, exports

PARIS: The European Commission on Thursday forecast that usable production of common wheat in the European Union’s 27 member countries would rise to 126.7 million tonnes in 2021/22 from an estimated 117.1 million this season.

In grain supply and demand data, the Commission also projected that EU exports of common wheat, or soft wheat, would reach 30.0 million tonnes next season compared with 27.0 million expected in the 2020/21 season that ends on June 30.

Common wheat stocks at the end of the 2021/22 season would be 3.4 million tonnes higher than at the end of the current one at 12.9 million tonnes. The barley harvest next season was also expected to rise, to 56.3 million tonnes from 54.7 million in 2020/21.

For maize, the Commission forecast the 2021/22 crop at 71.2 million tonnes, up from 64.9 million this season, but imports next season would remain unchanged at 16.5 million tonnes. In oilseeds, the Commission projected usable production of rapeseed in 2021/22 at 16.7 million tonnes, up from 16.1 million tonnes in 2020/21. Imports would fall to 5.8 million tonnes from 6.2 million tonnes this season.

Soymeal imports into the EU in 2021/22 would rise to 16.7 million tonnes, from 16.3 million this season, while palm oil imports were expected to remain unchanged next season at 7.0 million tonnes, the data showed.