January 15, 2004

EU-15: 2003/04 Oilseed and Cotton Estimates by Country

Area Increase from 2002/03 Partially Compensates for Lower Yields

This report provides further background on USDA official estimates released January 12, 2004.

2003/04 Recap

European Union (EU-15) rapeseed production is estimated to be 9.46 million tons in 2003/04, up from 9.29 million last year.  Rapeseed area in France and the United Kingdom (UK) increased from 2002/03, but decreased slightly in Germany, resulting in a net year-to-year EU-15 increase of 0.12 million hectares.  The EU-15 rapeseed yield was slightly below the five year average--above average in the UK, average in France and below average in Germany.  Sunflowerseed production is estimated to be 2.54 million tons, nearly 0.22 million lower than 2002/03, despite an area increase of 0.10 million hectares.  Soybean area was roughly unchanged from last year, but below average yields reduced production to 0.66 million tons, the lowest level since the European Union became a 15-member club in 1995.  Hot, dry weather damaged sunflower and soybean fields that were not irrigated.  Cottonseed production is estimated to be 0.62 million tons, a decrease of 0.04 from last year, because of reduced area and yield.  Estimates from the 2001/02 and 2002/03 crop years were revised this month, based on a variety of sources.

2004/05 Outlook

The European market for rapeseed is growing because the biodiesel industry is expanding.  However, early survey results indicate that European farmers were not able to plant more winter rapeseed area for the 2004/05 campaign than last year because of adverse weather.  Public forecasts for three countries, France (SCEES), Germany (UFOP) and Denmark (NYT), indicate virtually unchanged winter rapeseed area compared to 2003.  Germany, France and the UK, respectively, are the largest rapeseed producers in the European Union.  Public area figures for the UK will not be available until later this spring, but last year (2003/04) UK farmers planted a record area to rapeseed.  In November, the UK National Farmers Union reported that 30 percent of winter rapeseed fields planted during autumn 2003 had poor germination, and may need to be replanted with another crop.  Winter rapeseed has a narrow planting window--roughly the last weeks of August and the first weeks of September.  Hybrid rapeseed varieties are starting to become popular because they can be planted later than non-hybrid varieties.  All other oilseeds and some additional rapeseed are planted in the spring.  An EU farm policy change to reduce the obligatory set-aside rate from 10 percent to 5 percent could spur an increase in spring crop area, compared to last year.  The first official USDA oilseed forecast will be in the summer, 2004.

Rapeseed, Soybean and Sunflowerseed Statistics

The table below represents the details of the official USDA EU-15 oilseed totals.  It is provided as a courtesy to USDA customers and the numbers are listed separately to allow greater understanding of oilseed production in the European Union.

Download tables as Excel spreadsheet - Download tables as pdf - Download free Adobe Reader

Cotton and Cottonseed Statistics

The table below represents the details of the official USDA EU-15 cotton and cottonseed totals.  It is provided as a courtesy to USDA customers and the numbers are listed separately to allow greater understanding of cotton production in the European Union.

Download tables as Excel spreadsheet - Download tables as pdf - Download free Adobe Reader

Other USDA Resources on the Internet

Web Updates

EU-15:  Winter Update, 12/17/03
NASA Earth Observatory: Fall Crops Fail to Emerge in UK, 12/2/03
EU-15:  Grain Forecast by Country, 11/13/03
Rapeseed Production May Benefit from New EU Directive, 11/4/03
EU-15:  Cotton Production Summary, 10/2/03
EU-15:  Biodiesel Industry Expanding Use of Oilseeds, 9/23/03
EU-15:  Summer Crops Suffer from Heat and Drought, 9/12/03
EU-15:  Grain Forecast by Country, 8/13/03
EU-15:  Oilseed and Rice Forecast by Country, 7/14/03
Germany:  Field Travel Reveals Conditions and Trends, 6/19/03
EU-15:  Grain Forecast by Country, 5/13/03
EU Enlargement:  Eastern Germany Crop Yield Increases Herald Changes in Central Europe, 1/13/03

Global Agriculture Information Network (GAIN) Reports

European Union, Grain and Feed Semi-Annual, 2003, E23239 (pdf), 12/11/03
European Union, Oilseeds and Products Annual, 2003, E23144 (pdf), 8/1/03
European Union, Grain and Feed Annual 2003, E23086 (pdf), 6/2/03
European Union, Grain and Feed Semi-Annual 2003, E23001 (pdf), 1/6/03

Foreign Agricultural Service U.S. Mission to the European Union

Homepage

For crop conditions in the European Union and throughout the world, visit Crop Explorer

For current and historical official USDA data on production, supply and distribution of agricultural commodities for the European Union and much of the world, visit PS&D Online

For more information, contact Jim Tringe james.tringe@usda.gov
with the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division, at (202)720-0882