German farmers increase winter wheat and rapeseed planting for 2025 crop

Germany's National Statistics Agency estimated that the area of winter wheat in Germany for 2025 harvest had increased 12.2% from last season to 2.78 millions hectares.

It was only slightly different from the first estimate of 12.3% in December, after good weather conditions during autumn allowed farmers to plant their intended crops. This was in contrast with autumn 2023 when rains hindered the sowing of crops for 2024, particularly wheat.

According to the agency, German farmers increased their winter rapeseed planting for 2025 by about 1.5%. This amounts to approximately 1.1 million acres.

All figures are estimates and can be altered later.

Germany is the second largest wheat exporter in Europe, behind France. It is also one of Europe's biggest producers of rapeseed oil, which is used to produce biodiesel and edible oils.

The agency estimates that the amount of winter barley sown, which is mainly used as animal feed, has been reduced by 6.4%, to 1,22 million hectares. Farmers have switched to wheat and rapeseed, which are more valuable.

The agency estimated that the sowing of grain maize (corn), used for malt and beer production, had been reduced by 7.3%, to 334,000 ha.

The traders had expected a reduction because the mild winter in Germany meant that there was less need to resow frost-damaged winter grains with spring grain.

The agency estimates that the sowing of silo-maize, which is usually used on farms or for biogas production, and not generally sold in the open market, has dropped by 5.4%, to 1.94m hectares. Michael Hogan reported and David Goodman edited.

(source: Reuters)