COCERAL estimates the 2024 EU-27 harvest at 275 million t: +1.7% compared to the previous year. In its March 24 issue, the umbrella organization of European agricultural traders (COCERAL) estimates the EU grain harvest at 275 million t (previous year 270 million .t). This means an increase of +1.7% compared to the previous year. However, EU wheat production remains -2.4% below last year; The decisive factor is the expected weak French result. On the other hand, a larger barley harvest of +8% is expected, with the almost doubled Spanish production playing a decisive role. The EU corn harvest is estimated to be only 3% higher. The results are very different in the individual EU member states. What is striking is the huge increase in Spain at 85% and in the total of the other countries at +55%. Background: in all cases, these growing areas achieved predominantly catastrophic results in the previous year due to drought. A direct comparison is therefore ruled out. With the new harvest, Spain only just reached the average level of previous years. Similar conditions exist in the other areas.
In France, the EU's largest production area, a -7% lower harvest is expected. For years, the country has no longer been able to produce the previously usual harvest of 70 million tonnes. In the second largest growing region of Germany, grain production is expected to be -0.9% lower, in close agreement with the DRV estimate. The estimation result can serve as an initial guide. There are still a number of risks to overcome before the harvest.
