Europe is facing the second small rapeseed harvest in a row because the stocks have been exposed to unfavorable weather conditions and insect infestation. However, the recent rainfall relieved the stress after the dry beginning of spring.
As in the previous year, the drought last summer disrupted the early rapeseed sowing, since then the stocks have been exposed to heavy autumn rain, insect pressure from the mild winter and renewed drought in March and April.
"We lost a little earning potential compared to last month, but less than it would have if the rain hadn't returned," said Strategy Grains' Benoit Fayaud.
The European Union harvested the smallest rapeseed since 2006, at just under 17 million tonnes. Strategy Grains currently expects the EU harvest (including Great Britain) to be as large as last year at 17 million tons.
In France, the Ministry of Agriculture estimates rapeseed acreage at 1.09 million hectares, 24% less than the average over the past five years.
In addition to the mixed early development due to the drought last summer, followed by a humid autumn, the rape plants in northeastern France suffered frost damage in late March, Fayaud said.
In Germany, the DRV has lowered its forecast for the winter rapeseed harvest from 3.34 million tons in April to 3.24 million tons, which is partly due to the recent drought, although the new forecast is 14.9% above the very poor harvest of the previous year.
"The rain in the past two weeks has relieved the harvest overall," said the association. "But in many regions it is still not enough to make up for the lack of water."
In Poland, recent rainfall has been considered inadequate.
"More rain is needed," said Wojtek Sabaranski from analyst Sparks Polska. "After the cold March and dry April, the condition of winter rape is anything but perfect, with some severe frosts in the main growing regions."
Sabaranski predicted a rapeseed harvest of around 2.7 million tonnes for Poland in 2020, an increase of 6.7% compared to the poor harvest in 2019.
Great Britain is facing a decline in production because the drought and insect damage contribute to the fact that due to the persistent wet weather in autumn and winter, the smallest area has been sown since 2002.
"Our rapeseed plants are in bloom, but many of our growers see great damage from the flea beetle, which is very difficult to handle," said Harriette Roberts, chief adviser to the National Farmers Union.
Flea beetles are a growing threat to rapeseed in the UK and other EU countries after the use of insecticides, known as neonicotinoids, to protect bees has been banned.
Source
Hansa Terminhandel GmbH
