The sowing of winter oilseed rape in Germany for the 2022 harvest has increased significantly compared to the previous year by 8.7% to around 1.08 million hectares, the Federal Statistical Office estimated today.
The winter wheat sowing area for the 2022 harvest has increased moderately by 0.4% to around 2.87 million hectares compared to the previous year.
The agency's land use estimates are traditionally one of the first detailed vantage points for the coming harvest in Germany.
Germany is the second largest wheat producer in the European Union after France and a major exporter. It is one of the largest rapeseed producers in the EU, Europe's most important oilseed for edible oil and biodiesel production.
"Rapeseed prices have soared since the summer and it looks like the farmers have planted every possible hectare with rapeseed," said a German grain dealer.
European rapeseed futures have risen sharply since August and repeatedly reached record highs in the autumn. This is also supported by small stocks of used rape in Europe and tighter global deliveries.
German farmers are believed to have reduced the cultivation of cheaper feed grain, the agency said.
The sowing of winter barley, which is mainly used as animal feed, has decreased by 0.3% to 1.23 million hectares, said the statistical office.
The plantations of the forage grain triticale were reduced by 1.3% to 323,000 hectares. The cultivation of rye and other smaller winter grains was restricted by 5.9% to 593,000 hectares.
Source
Hansa Terminhandel GmbH
