Brussels, 29/09/2004 (Agence Europe) - The production of oil seed in EU 25 Member States will increase this year to 19.2 million tonnes, according to the most recent estimates from Coceral (Committee of cereals, oilseeds, animal feed, olive oil, oils and fats and agrosupply trade in the EU). This will represent an increase of more than 27 % compared to the harvest of 15.1 million tonnes in 2003 by the EU and the ten new Member States.
Coceral illustrates a 35% increase in rapes-seed production in 2004 (14.8 million tonnes, compared to almost 11 million in 2003). In Germany the harvest is forecast to hit 5.1 million tonnes (3.6 million in 2003), 4 million in France (3.3 million in 2003) and almost 1.5 million in the United Kingdom (1.7 million in 2003). Among the ten new Member States, the main producers are Poland (1.5 million tonnes in 2004, compared to 754 000 in 2003) and the Czech Republic (934 000 tonnes in 2004, 393 000 tonnes in 2003).
Production of sunflower in the EU 25 will reach 3.8 million tonnes, an increase of 8.5% compared to the harvest last year (3.5 million), including more than 1.5 million tonnes in France (1.4 million in 2003), 835 000 in Spain (656 000 in 2003) and 796 000 in Hungary (849 000 tonnes in 2003).
Production of soya is estimated to be 560 000 tonnes, slightly less than the 583 000 tonnes last year. The harvest will be 248 000 tonnes in Italy (274 000 in 2003) and 174 000 tonnes in France (178 000 in 2003).