European Union rapeseed production will climb 1.8% to reach 21.4 million tons this year – just under the record production of 21.8 million tons achieved in 2009. Production prospects are good for the majority of member countries. Germany, the leading EU rapeseed producer, is predicted to see a harvest 2.2% smaller than the previous year because of reduced rainfall but will remain the EU’s top producer harvesting 5.65 million tons for the 2014/15 marketing year. French output will increase 17% over the previous year to reach 5.1 million tons. In Ukraine the rapeseed crops is expected to be 2 million tons – 2.2 million tons, down from 2.4 million tons last year as farmers prefer to plant sunflowers which saw a return on investment of 29% last year. The Ukrainian sunflower seed harvest is estimated to be 10 million – 10.5 million tons, down from last year’s 11 million tons, and the country’s soybean crops is predicted to be a record 3 million – 3.2 million tons.
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