European Commission cuts expectations for 2025 rapeseed harvest

The EU rapeseed harvest is in full swing. According to current estimates from the European Commission, the EU rapeseed harvest is likely to be lower than previously expected. According to experts, around 18.5 million tonnes of rapeseed will be harvested. This is 385,000 tonnes less than predicted in June, but still almost 1.9 million tonnes more than in 2024.

Although the harvest will significantly exceed last year’s disappointing result, it will not be able to meet the bloc’s demand of around 25 million tonnes, according to the German Union for the Promotion of Oilseeds and Cereals (UFOP).

The forecasts of the International Grains Council (IGC) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are still somewhat more optimistic: 18.8 million tonnes and 19.5 million tonnes, respectively.

The increase compared to the previous year is mainly due to the expected higher harvest in France, the largest rapeseed producer in the EU. The European Commission, in agreement with the French agricultural statistics office Agreste, currently forecasts a harvest of 4.2 million tonnes, slightly less than expected in June. However, last year’s result of 3.9 million tonnes will still be exceeded.

The rapeseed production forecast in Romania has also been revised downwards. With a yield of just over 1.8 million tonnes, the commission nevertheless expects a harvest of 682,000 tonnes more than last year. For Germany, the forecast remains unchanged at 3.9 million tonnes, a significant increase compared to the previous year’s volume of 3.6 million tonnes.

Earlier, it became known that by the end of July, Ukraine had harvested half as much rapeseed as last year, with the average yield also falling to 1.94 t/ha (versus 2.67 million tonnes in 2024).

Tags: EU, rapeseed, crop forecast