Source: APKinform (Ukraine)
Analysts at Strategie Grains have raised their forecast for the 2024/25 marketing year maize harvest in the European Union by 0.2 million tons compared to their previous forecast to 58.1 million tons, which is still below the previous season’s figure of 62.9 million tons.
As indicated, the upward revision is due to the positive outlook in France, although expectations were below average due to the drought in the maize harvest in Romania. In particular, the heavy rains that led to the worst wheat harvest in 40 years in France boosted corn growth, although a rainy start to the fall delayed the harvest. According to FranceAgriMer monitoring data, 6% of the planned maize area had been harvested by October 7.
Experts kept the estimate for EU wheat production at its lowest level in 12 years – 114.4 million tons – following a poor harvest in rain-damaged France and Germany, which will reduce the EU’s export potential to its lowest level in six years.
The forecast for the EU barley harvest has been raised to 50.6 million tons from the 50.5 million tons expected last month, indicating a moderate recovery in production potential from the lowest level in 12 years in the 2023/24 marketing year.