Recent figures on EU crop production from Copa Cogeca put total EU 2022 cereal production at 269m tonnes, oilseeds at 31.9Mt and protein crops at 3.92Mt.

Compared with 2021, cereals are down 6.8% while oilseeds and protein crops are up 6.7% and 5.1% respectively.

The reduction in cereal output is mainly a consequence of lower yields as a result of the hot and dry weather, with the major impact being on maize production. The estimates put maize output at 55Mt, down 20% on last year. Common wheat production was put at 125.6Mt, down 2.5%. Total barley production is seen as stable at 51Mt.

“Overall, this places 2022 below the grain production averages of the last five years,” the farming experts pointed out.

The area sown to cereal crops was put as similar to last year but oilseeds and protein crops benefited from both higher area.

The organisation also commented that “the volatility of prices linked to international news, inflation, the euro-dollar parity and the increase in costs of main inputs make the situation particularly complicated for farmers.”

As a result it is expected that production in 2023 will be very difficult due to the political situation and energy and fertiliser prices.