BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — Autumn sowings increased overall for cereals and oilseeds and weather conditions remain favorable, creating expectations for a slight relief in the marketing year 2013-14, the E.U. Commission said on March 11 in its short-term market outlook for arable crop, meat and dairy markets in the EU.

The short-term market outlook includes information and data available until Feb. 20. The report, published three times a year, is based on analyses of market experts within the European Commission's Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development.

The report noted that the increased autumn plantings occur against the background of a 2012-13 cereal usable production of 272 million tonnes ( a 4.7% decrease from the year before), which tightened the E.U. cereal balances and resulted in a low stock-to-use ratio of 11.6%. 
 
Feed costs remain a key driver in the recovery of meat markets. Aggregate meat production is expected to contract slightly in 2013 to 43.5 million tonnes, before recovering the following year.
Feed costs would remain the main driver affecting the meat market, although their current high level could improve with a higher harvest. 

The complete report is available at http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/markets-and-prices/short-term-outlook/pdf/2013-03_en.pdf