PARIS: The European Commission cut its 2020/21 forecast for usable maize production in the European Union's 27 countries to 60.2 million tonnes against 70.2 million seen in late August.

A hot, dry summer in some major grain growing areas in the bloc lead several forecasters to severely reduce their estimates for crops such as maize (corn), for which harvest is still ongoing, over the past months.

In supply and demand projections released on its website, the Commission raised usable common wheat production to 115.9 million tonnes, from 113.5 million estimated two months ago.

The EU executive left unchanged its 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.

Projected EU-27 barley output in the period was raised to 54.3 million tonnes compared with 53.9 million in late August.