EU cereal production near to average of past five years, commission finds

A FORECAST has found that total cereal production across the European Union this year should be close to the average of the last five years.

The forecast by the European Commission shows that while the yield per hectare will be 5% above average, overall cultivated areas have decreased.

“This agricultural year has been marked by unpredictable weather ranging from severe rain shortage to floods.

“However, the impact of poor weather on crops in some areas of the EU has been offset in other areas,” according to the analysis.

In general, Europe saw a harsh winter with waves of exceptionally low temperatures in December, January, February and also in March (snowfall in Spain) leading to a delayed start to the season.

Spring and early summer brought a severe shortage of rain in Britain, western France, Benelux, northern Germany, eastern Poland and Greece. Flooding occurred in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania.

On the other hand, Spain and Italy experienced favourable and abundant rain in spring. Northern and central France, Benelux and Germany had very high temperatures in June and July coupled with low rainfall.

Yield forecast for cereals (wheat, barley, maize, other cereals) is 5.1 tonnes per hectare across the EU, the same level as last year (+0.7%). But it is above the five-year average (+5.0%).

The total area used in the EU for cereals in 2010 is estimated to have fallen by 3% compared to 2009.