Global rapeseed-area estimate for 2023-’24 season down from last year

In its first estimate of the global rapeseed area for the 2023-’24 marketing season, the International Grains Council projects an area of 40.2 million hectares.

The estimate is 1.5 percent below the current season’s record area and would be the second-largest rapeseed area ever. It would significantly exceed the long-term average.

While rapeseed production in India, China and Australia will presumably decrease, according to Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH) the Canadian rapeseed area is set to remain unchanged from the previous year at 8.6 million hectares.

IGC pointed out, however, that the first forecast involves a great deal of uncertainty.

According to the estimates, the EU-27 rapeseed acreage for the 2023-’24 marketing season was expanded to 6 million hectares. This would be up 1.7 percent on the previous year's area.

In particular, France and Germany (1.2 million hectares) saw an increase in rapeseed area.

At the end of December, the condition of most winter crops was considered to be good.

According to surveys conducted among producers, the U.K. rapeseed area was also expanded significantly, by 14 percent, compared to the previous year.

In Ukraine, the area planted to rapeseed is expected to expand 8.3 percent to 1.3 million hectares, while IGC sees Russia’s area unchanged from the previous year at 2.3 million hectares.