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European Farming organisation Copa-Cogeca has released this year’s EU-27 oilseeds estimates for the 2010/11 and 2012/13 marketing year. The figures suggest a good EU harvest in 2011 and a promising outlook for next year.

The strong harvest from 2010/11 is welcome news, as many of the EU’s principal growing states were hit first by drought in the spring, which many feared could affect growth, then Germany in particular suffered adverse weather during its harvest, which meant some crops were left to rot in fields and others were downgraded.

Analysts from Copa suggested the results are in part thanks to new varieties, which have increased productivity. Gerard Tubery, chair of Copa-Cogeca’s Working Party on Oilseeds and Protein Crops, said, “This year’s EU-27 oilseeds harvest was quite good reaching 28.8 million tonnes, which is a slight rise compared to last year. Provisional forecasts for next year show the sowing area for EU-27 rapeseed is more or less stable, with a 5.2 per cent increase in production expected.

“This is largely a result of new improved varieties and highlights the need for research and innovation under the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)."

Controversies over biofuels

Tubery said increased biofuel production, for which much of the EU’s oilseed rape, particularly the German crop, is used, would relieve pressure on non-EU countries, helping reduce the rate of deforestation. Biofuels remain incredibly controversial, as critics claim growing crops for fuel is not only counter-productive given the rising world population, but is actively driving up food prices.   

However, Tubery said by-products from the oilseeds, cereals and sugar beet going to produce biofuels were going into animal feed production and helping the EU to reduce its heavy dependence on imported animal feed.

Copa-Cogeca has lobbied against increased legislation on biofuel cultivation, although detractors such as pressure group Biofuelwatch maintain that support for biofuels, which still cause pollution, is creating an insatiable appetite for more of the crops.