Total cereal production in the EU-27 is expected to reach 269 million tonnes in 2022, which is 6.8% lower than the 2021 harvest, the EU’s agricultural organisations and cooperatives (Copa-Cogeca) said on Friday 9 September.
Copa-Cogeca also notes the good news regarding oilseed production (at 31.9 million tonnes, +7.2%) and the expected protein crop (3.92 million tonnes, +5.1%).
Cereals. “Despite a similar area sown in 2021 and 2022, the decline in most cereal yields plummeted the outcome of the 2022 harvest”, says Copa-Cogeca.
The summer drought had, according to these organisations, a “particularly severe” impact on the grain maize harvest. Maize production is estimated at 55 million tonnes (-20%). Durum wheat production also suffered a major setback (7.4 million tonnes harvested, or -7.4%). Common wheat production (125.6 million tonnes) fell by 2.5%.
Only barley production is expected to remain stable in 2022, with a volume of 51 million tonnes harvested. Overall, these figures place the 2022 season below the cereal production averages of the last 5 years. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)