EU raises 2019/20 wheat crop forecast, cuts rapeseed

PARIS: The European Commission raised its forecast of 2019/20 common wheat production in the European Union to 143.8 million tonnes (mn t) from 141.3mn t last month.

In monthly supply and demand estimates on its website, the Commission left unchanged its forecasts of EU 2019/20 common wheat exports at 25.5mn t and 2018/19 common wheat exports at 21.0mn t.

It cut slightly its forecasts of EU 2019/20 barley production to 60.7mn t from 61.0mn t and 2019/20 maize production to 68.2mn t from 68.3mn t.

For maize imports, it left unchanged its estimate for 2019/20 at 15.5mn t and raised its estimate for 2018/19 to 22.5mn t from 21.5mn t.

In oilseeds, the Commission cut its forecast of 2019/20 rapeseed production to 18.7mn t from 19.2mn t.