German soybean harvest expected to be below last year’s level

Given the much smaller area, the soybean crop in 2024 is unlikely to come close to last year’s result. However, the downside is somewhat mitigated by higher yields and yields, reports the German Oilseed and Grain Promotion Association (UFOP).

According to Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), soybean cultivation has only started to play a significant role in Germany since 2015. Since then, the area has grown steadily and significantly. In 2024, however, the area decreased by almost 10% to 40,600 hectares.

According to preliminary information from the Federal Statistical Office, on a much smaller area, 4,500 tons less beans are expected to be harvested than in the previous year. But producer profits are likely to be higher. With an average yield of 30.7 c/ha, almost 7% more soybeans per hectare are expected to be harvested from the fields than in the previous year.

UFOP highlights the significant substitution potential for domestically or EU-grown soybeans, given Germany’s huge import needs: 3.4 million tons of soybeans were imported in 2023, of which around 2.7 million tons came from the US. The high demand for high-protein feed opens up sales opportunities and therefore potential acreage for German-produced soybeans and grain legumes, as well as rapeseed meal from rapeseed processing. From UFOP’s perspective, legumes are the most important crop species in sustainable crop rotations aimed at climate protection.

Earlier, the German Raiffeisen Association (DRV) lowered its forecasts for the German rapeseed crop to 3.9 million tons, with the total area under cultivation in Germany falling below 6 million hectares for the first time.

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Tags: soybean, Germany, crop forecast