Free of charge

Rapeseed: Exports have reached a plateau

November 10, 2017 at 3:40 PM , Starry Night Ltd.
Play report as audio

SOFIA. The strong production figure of EU member countries should restrict reliance on imports from non-union countries.

Rapeseed: exports should have been stronger

BULGARIA. According to the recent USDA report on World Agricultural Production, estimates of EU output for the month reached 22.10 mmt or 1.56 mmt higher on a year-to-year basis. Realizing such a high collective figure, the member countries clearly should restrict heavy reliance on imports from countries outside the Union. As a consequence, the internal import-export rate within the member countries should increase.

However, during the current marketing season, local exports have been inconsistent on a weekly basis. A case in point, by the 5th of November 2017, via Varna seaport, the country shipped abroad only 133,597 mt of rapeseed, which lag behind by 30.09% of exported volumes last year, according to local authorities.

       Harvest 2017-18

(01.07.2017 - 03.11.2017)

            units in MT

Beg. availability, incl. carry over & imports

510,765

Domestic consumption

28,800

   oil & biodiesel production

28,800

Exports to the world

352,561

   to EU markets

331,265

   to rest of the world

21,296

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

High hopes, lower reaches

Encouraged by the rising foreign demand during the last few years, farmers planted 185,717 ha of land with rapeseed for harvest 2017-18, which stood by 11.1% higher than planted acreages for the previous year. However, weather conditions during the Winter and early Spring damaged fields in some regions, and as a result, at the end of the recent harvest, farmers combined only 161,099 ha, according to local authorities; the rest was accounted as fallen-through acreages.

Such a substantial reduction in combined arable rapeseed land, coupled by the adverse effects of heavy hailstorms during harvest in some regions, and an overall lower average yield (3.1% weaker), resulted in an aggregate output of 459,002 mt for the current marketing season. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, national output this year lags behind by 7% from that of harvest 2016-17.

View related articles

Go to the News Overview
Grains
Feb 13, 2026
BRUSSELS. Rumours concerning Algeria are afloat for wheat. Russia’s hostile attacks on Ukraine are taking their toll on corn. China’s possible purchases are still driving US soybeans. The EU is the top buyer for Canadian canola.
Oilseeds
Feb 12, 2026
OTTAWA/ASTANA. According to the latest data from the European Commission, flaxseed imports from Kazakhstan to the EU have doubled year-on-year. Canadian traders face fierce competition from Kazakhstan and Russia, but can compete with golden flaxseed.
Oilseeds
Feb 12, 2026
NEW DELHI. Weak seasonal demand in the Indian sesame seed market is keeping prices largely unchanged this winter. Market players expect a new tender from South Korea in February.
Oilseeds
Feb 11, 2026
SOFIA/ASTANA. Kazakhstan's oilseed production has reached a new record high this year. This is due in no small part to the significant increase in the sunflower seed crop.