Expana: EU heatwave could threaten oilseed outlook
Expana has raised its forecast for the European Union rapeseed crop?this season, but warned of increased?risks due to drought and heatwaves.
The warning comes at a time when a severe heatwave grips large parts in the EU, with temperatures reaching record highs in France, which is the EU's largest grain producer.
Expana expects EU rapeseed production, the largest oilseed crop in the EU, to reach 20.4 million metric tonnes in 2026/27. This is a?150,000-ton increase from its previous estimate, but slightly lower than last season.
It raised its outlook for France’s rapeseed by 120,000 tonnes, while reducing Poland’s by 40,000 tons because of dry weather, frosts that came late, and pest damage.
EU?sunflower seeds production has been reduced by 60,000 tonnes to 10,2 million tons. This would be a significant improvement over last year, when the extreme heat of southern Europe destroyed crops. However, Expana warned that without adequate rainfall, the situation could quickly worsen.
The soybean production was also reduced slightly, to just over 3?million tonnes. Several regions are still susceptible to dry conditions.
EU rapeseed and sunflower seed stocks are expected to decline in 2026/27 due to a rise in crushing demand.
The total EU 'oilseed production' was expected to rise from 31.8 millions metric tons?in?2025/26 to 33.6million metric tons?in?2026/27 as a larger sunflower crop offset a small decline in rapeseed production. (Reporting by Sybille de La Hamaide. (Editing by Gus Trompiz, Mark Potter and Mark Potter.
(source: Reuters)
