A wet autumn is not only disastrous for potato growers, because arable farmers all over Western Europe have to fight to get their wheat into the ground. France and the United Kingdom are in particularly bad shape.
The French market agency Strategié Grains published a report on Monday, November 18, containing their expectations for the 2020 grain harvest in the European Union. This is reported by the Reuters news agency. The winter wheat area is reduced for the second month. This time to 23,7 million hectares, which is a decrease of 200.000 hectares. This summer, 23,8 million hectares of wheat were harvested.
No more sowing
It is extremely wet in France, which means that it was not possible to sow everywhere on time. It is now too late to sow in many places. The crop then enters the winter underdeveloped and has poor resistance to frost and snow. That is why we are switching to summer grains. This also applies to the United Kingdom, which is experiencing one of the wettest periods on record.
Strategié Grains estimates the European barley area at 12 million hectares, with a gain in spring barley in particular. In Germany, winter barley could be sown on time under good conditions. However, the area of barley is estimated to be 200.000 hectares lower than this year. The area of grain maize is reportedly growing by 2%. That harvest is expected to continue until December, because the harvest was not possible due to persistent rain.
Lower yield
The agency also calculates what these figures mean for the final yield. The yield of common wheat in the European Union is set at 142,3 million tons, while this year it was 145,5 million tons. Barley is estimated at 59,6 million tons for 2020, compared to 61,6 million tons this year.
In the coastal regions, farmers face problems when sowing their winter grain. This is also the case in the north of Germany and the Benelux. Further in Germany and eastern Europe it was possible to sow under good conditions. There, drought is especially a problem for rapeseed, which has emerged irregularly. Most crops are now in good condition.
Oilseed rape remains a problem
In Germany, a 2% larger area of rapeseed is expected compared to last year. The area of 880.500 hectares therefore remains relatively small. Due to drought, 6.800 hectares have been underdeveloped. The yield this summer was 30% below average due to the drought and problems with emergence. Market prices are favorable, due to a tight European market.
UK arable farmers have sown only 35% to 40% of their winter cereal area. That is extremely little. In addition, the sown crops also suffer from flooding. Full attention is now being paid to spring wheat, barley and field beans. That to confirm seed sellers opposite Farmers Weekly. For example, all spring wheat seed has already been sold out.
Green numbers
The December contract on the Matif in Paris closed on Monday, November 18, at a rate of €178 per tonne. It is also in the plus on Tuesday afternoon, November 19. On the London Liffe, feed wheat prices have risen sharply since mid-October. The high was £143,95 per tonne (€168,19) on November 14. On Monday, November 18, it was £142,70 (€166,73).