The EU is expecting a bumper crop of wheat even after a long winter and a hot beginning to the summer. France, the EU’s top producing country is expecting a soft wheat harvest of 37 million tons – up 4% from 2012 and the largest harvest in nine years. The second largest wheat producer, Germany, will harvest 24.35 million tons this year – an increase of 8.8% over 2012. In Poland, the EU’s fourth largest producer a harvest of 9.03 million tons is expected – up from 8.6 million tons last year. The one exception is the UK – the EU’s third largest producer. The area sown in wheat fell to a 30 year low after heavy rains last autumn ruined sowing. Traders forecast a crop of approximately 12 million tons – down from 13.3 million tons in 2012. Yields however are expected to be 7.26 tons per hectare, approaching the five year average of 7.7 tons per hectare. Despite the setbacks experienced in the UK the overall outlook for the harvest and quality of EU wheat this year is positive.
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