EU: Barley crop forecast reduced to 57.2 mln tonnes

The EU MARS Bulletin of 22 May showed variable crop conditions throughout the continent and in North Africa; dryness, cold temperatures in much of Europe, but also heat in Africa and the Iberian Peninsula impacted crop developments, H. M. Gauger GmbH reported.

MARS forecasts average yields of 4.06 tonnes/ha for spring and 5.69 tonnes/ha for winter barley, down 3.6 and 2.2% from a month before.

During the past fortnight conditions improved following warmer temperatures and beneficial rainfalls in most countries of Europe. Nevertheless hectare yields are expected to be not better than average, i.e. well below last year’s record crops.

The EU barley crop forecast has been lowered to a range between 59 and 60 mln tonnes by most analysts, and on May 31 Coceral reduced its figure to 57.2 mln tonnes. Their guess is that Spain will harvest 6.15 mln tonnes versus last year’s 9.15 mln tonnes, France, however, 1.5 mln tonnes more, i.e. almost 12 mln tonnes. No major changes are expected for Denmark (3.1 mln tonnes), Germany (10.8 mln tonnes) and the U.K. (6.7 mln tonnes). On a smaller scale, a modest plus is expected in the Baltic States, unchanged crops in Central Europe, but lower outturns in the Balkans. As to the quality of spring and winter malting barley, the crops are looking sound and promising.

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