The experts of the Copa-Cogeca working group met in Brussels this week and confirmed the first trend announced by the organisation last July: the EU-27 total cereal production should reach 269 million tonnes, recording a significant decrease of -6.8% compared to the 2021 harvest. Meanwhile, a more positive trend is expected for oilseeds (31.9 million tonnes, +6.7%) and protein crops (3.92 million tonnes, +5.1%).
Despite a similar area sown in 2021 and 2022, the decline in most cereal yields plummeted the outcome of the 2022 harvest. The summer drought had a particularly severe impact on the harvest of grain maize. Production stood at 55 million tonnes, down by 20% year-on-year. Durum wheat production also faced a significant backlash with 7.4 million tonnes harvested (- 7,4 %). Common wheat production faced a smaller drop at 125.6 million tonnes (-2.5 %). Only the production of barley should remain stable with 51 million tonnes harvested. Overall, this places 2022 below the grain production averages of the last 5 years.
For oilseed and protein crops, the situation is more positive with results above the annual averages for the last 5 years (>5%). Oilseed rape production recovered at 19.5 million tonnes as a result of an increased area cultivated and good yield. While the sunflower sown area increased at record level in the EU-27, the production stood at 9.6 million tonnes, 7% lower than last year. The EU soybean production should remain stable as the lower yield was compensated by the additional planted hectares (+17.4%). The EU-27 production of protein crops such as fava beans increased by 5% thanks to good harvests in the Scandinavian and Baltic states.
These contrasting results must be considered in a global context that is more uncertain than ever for European cereal producers. The volatility of prices linked to international news, inflation, the euro-dollar parity and the increase in costs of main inputs make the situation particularly complicated for farmers. The price of all fertilisers going up again, as well as the difficulties of supply in certain countries will have consequences on the productions for 2023, in yield, in quality and in type of planted crops. It is extremely necessary for the European Commission to continue to act to make the fertiliser market more transparent, to limit price increases and to guarantee a supply for the next cropping season.
Artigo publicado originalmente em Copa Cogeca.
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