EU still set to increase oilseed harvest – Strategie Grains

The European Union remains on track to recover oilseed production this year as conditions for the rapeseed crop remain favorable, Strategie Grains said Friday, keeping its monthly crop forecasts largely unchanged.

For rapeseed, the EU’s main oilseed crop, the consultancy maintained its MY 2025/26 production forecast at 19.0 million metric tons, up 13% from 2024/25.

Projected sunflower seed production was raised to 10.5 million metric tons from 10.4 million a month ago, still 25% above the previous crop. Expected soybean production was maintained at 3.2 million tons, up nearly 7% from last year.

“EU rapeseed growing conditions have been generally good over the past month,” Strategie Grains said in its oilseeds report, adding that rainfall deficits in eastern EU countries will need to be controlled .

Rapeseed crops, which in Europe are mainly sown in late summer and fall, are coming out of winter. Sunflower and soybean crops are planted in the spring.

Severe weather conditions, including heavy rains and heat waves, damaged oilseeds in the EU last year, limiting supplies of rapeseed and sunflower, Reuters reported.

“As a result, we expect further price increases for both seed varieties by the end of the marketing year (2024/25),” Strategie Grains said.

Improved harvests are forecast to boost supply next season, especially for sunflower seed, but low seed and oil stocks will limit a recovery in rapeseed supplies, the company added.

Tags: EU, sunseed, rapeseed, crop forecast