Copa-Cogeca, the organisation that represents farming unions and co-ops across Europe, has released new cereal harvest estimates for the 2014/15 marketing year in the EU’s 28 member states.
The figures suggest a good harvest, with total production estimated to be 2.3% higher than last year’s level.
Copa-Cogecas Cereal Working Party said many member states were indicating good harvest estimates and that total production this year would reach a little more than 304 million tonnes, which seemed to be in contrast to the rest of the world.
The chairman of the working party, Max Schulman from Finland, highlighted the problem of unpredictable weather conditions and said yellow rust was being experienced in some countries. He stressed the need for a good toolbox of measures including disease-resistant plants, new and better varieties, research and development, good plant protection products to protect output.
“This year shows that plant protection products are crucial in order to get the maximum potential from our crops,” he added.