Brussels, 28/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - According to forecasts published on Monday 27 February, cereal production in the EU will increase to 288 million tonnes during the 2012-2013 season, 1.2% more than in 2011-2012. This is the second time the Commission has published its “Short-Term Outlook for arable crop, meat and dairy markets”, the first being published in October 2011. Publication of the outlook was a commitment made by European Commissioner Dacian Ciolos at the meeting of the farm ministers of the G20 countries, in June 2011.
According to the report, the Commission predicts oilseed production to remain stable at around 29 million tonnes in 2012-2013. The area under oilseed in the EU is forecast to fall by 0.2%, to 11 million hectares, in 2012-2013.
Meat production is expected to fall by 1.1% in 2012 then to decrease only very slightly, by 0.1%, in 2013. Meat consumption in the EU is predicted to fall by 0.7% in 2012 and by 0.4% in 2013. Total EU milk production is estimated to be 151 million tonnes in 2011, and is expected to remain at similar levels in 2012 and 2013, the Commission forecasts. (LC/transl.rt)