AgroPages-Copa & Cogeca forecast EU cereal production stable this year-Agricultural news

New Copa & Cogeca EU-28 cereal estimates show production is expected to be stable this year but producers are cautious about the estimates which are dependent on weather events, newly elected Chairman of Copa & Cogecas Cereals Working Party Max Schulman said.

Speaking after his re-election, Max Schulman said “Our latest figures show production is quite stable this year, reaching 296.6 million tonnes which is up 0.8% compared to 2016, but producers are very cautious about the figures as it’s too early to know the yield potential yet. A lot will depend on weather events in the upcoming months”.

“Already, the area planted is down this year by 1.8% as farmers are suffering from severe cash flow problems mainly as a result of the low prices. We consequently welcome EU Farm Commissioner Phil Hogans’ announcement this March of the setting up of an EU cereals, oilseeds and protein market observatory to improve farmers and cooperatives knowledge of market development and enable them to react quicker. Farmers want to look in more detail about how the market works and pay more attention to secondary production which enables producers to diversify their production. This is particularly important now that the Common Agricultural Policy CAP is more market orientated and markets are more volatile. The new market observatory should be up and running before the summer of this year.

For details of the figures, see CER(17)766 (rev.2) : http://www.copa-cogeca.eu/Download.ashx?ID=1633974&fmt=pdf

Mr Schulman is an arable farmer from Finland and forest owner. He is also the arable crops advisor at the Finnish Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forests Owners (MTK). He will be supported by two Vice Chairman, Mike Hambly from the National Farmers Union NFU of England and Wales and Pedro Gallardo from the Spanish Farmers Union Asaja. Both vice-chairmen are also arable farmers.