The oilseed harvest in the European Union (EU) is forecast to rise again this year due to expectations of bumper soyabean and sunflowerseed crops, according to EU Commission estimates reported by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) on 4 August.
An increase was also expected in the 2021 rapeseed harvest, according to the report.
The oilseed harvest in the EU-27 could increase compared to the previous two years, the report said, with the EU Commission estimating output for 2022 at 30.6M tonnes. This would translate to a rise of just under 11% over the previous weak year. However, production was still forecast to fall about 1% below the long-term average.
Exceptional yields meant the projected increase in sunflowerseed was particularly sharp, according to the report, with the recently forecast 10.8M tonnes a record volume.
Based on quantity, sunflowerseed was the second most important oilseed crop in the EU-27, the report said.
Rapeseed, which traditionally accounted for the largest share in oilseed output, was set for a larger harvest due to a 3% expansion in area.
However, yields failed to meet expectations due to unfavourable growing conditions, according to the report. In its latest estimate, the EU Commission had lowered yield prospects by 1.5% to 31.8 decitonnes/ha although this would still be a 2% increase year-on-year and 4% on the long-term average, UFOP wrote.
The total EU rapeseed harvest in 2021 could amount to 16.9M tonnes, which would be a 4% year-on-year increase, the report said.
Soyabeans were the third most important oilseed crop, according to the report and, based on a 3% expansion in planted area and an 8% increase in yield, the EU Commission estimated that the EU soyabean harvest could reach 2.9M tonnes.
This would be an 11% rise year-on-year and the largest harvest ever in the EU-27.
