BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — In its latest forecast for the 2021 EU-27+UK crop, COCERAL has revised it slightly downward, to 312.6 million tonnes from 315.1 million. 

Even with the reduction, production would be significantly higher than the 297.2 million tonnes harvested in 2020.

COCERAL, a European association representing the trade in cereals and other agricultural products, pegs wheat production in the EU-27+UK at 143.4 million tonnes, down from the previously forecast 145.8 million tonnes, mainly due to smaller-than-expected crops in France, Germany and Scandinavia. Last year’s wheat crop was at 128.1 million tonnes.

EU-27+UK 2021 barley production is now estimated at 60.3 million tonnes, down from 62.4 million in the previous forecast and from the 63.7 million seen last year.

COCERAL has revised the EU-27+UK 2021 corn crop up to 67.3 million tonnes from 65 million due to weather-related upward revisions for Poland, Germany and the Balkan countries. The Polish corn area has been revised up significantly.

Last year, the EU-27+UK harvested 62.7 million tonnes of corn.

The forecast for the EU-27+UK rapeseed crop was unchanged at 18.5 million tonnes, up from 17.5 million in 2020.