This year’s European cereal harvest was “good”, despite the effects of changeable weather, according to European farmers’ organisation Copa-Cogeca.

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EU cereals production in 2010-2011 was within the five-year average, totalling some 283 million tonnes, in some member states yield and quality were affected by drought in the spring and a wet summer.

As with oilseed predictions, Copa-Cogeca estimates for the 2010/11 and 2012/13 marketing year, which were released yesterday, predict a ‘stable’ forecast for next year. Sowing areas are forecast to be down on 2008, the highest point.

Ian Backhouse, chair of the Copa-Cogeca Cereals Working Party, cautioned that, although this year’s harvest was strong overall, farmers continue to be squeezed by high input costs forced upwards by a 'monopolistic' fertiliser market.

On the back of its forecasts, Copa-Cogeca has called for more transparency in the fertiliser market, which it believes would ease pressure on farmers. Copa predictions suggest rising input costs, especially high fertiliser prices which are once again nearing the record highs of 2009, would continue to squeeze farrmers’ returns into next season.

“Copa-Cogeca is consequently calling for more transparency on the fertiliser market and believes more competition is required in this monopolistic world market,” Mr Backhouse recapitulated.