World Rapeseed Output to Fall for First Time in Five Years
Global rapeseed output will fall for the first time in five years on a significant decline in production in the EU, the world’s leading producer, because of a mild autumn and the banning of neonicotinoid pesticides which led to fast plant growth and pest damage in Germany and the UK.
The International Grains Council has forecast a 3.8% drop in global rapeseed production for 2015/16 at 68.9 million tons, and an 11.7% drop in EU production year on year to 21.2 million tons. The German crop is expected to fall by 19.3% to 5.0 million tons, and UK output is forecast to fall by 11.6% to 2.2 million tons. France will maintain its top EU producer ranking, despite a decline in production of 7.6% year on year to 5.1 million tons.
In Ukraine, because of economic difficulties limiting the ability to purchase and use high-quality inputs, rapeseed production is expected to fall by 17.6% to 1.9 million tons. And in Canada, although canola output is forecast to increase 2.9% to 16 million tons, sowing of the rapeseed variant could fall below expectations.