EU cereals output seen at 283.69 million tons in 2004

European Union cereals output should total 283.69 million tonnes in 2004, up from the 227.22 million harvested last year, EU grains lobby Coceral said on Friday, raising previous estimates of this year's harvest.
Soft wheat production in the enlarged 25-nation bloc was pegged at 124.51 million tonnes against a 2003 harvest of 97.88 million when drought hit crops. Coceral had previously put the EU's cereals harvest at 282.05 million tonnes this year.
Maize output was estimated at 52.23 million tonnes, compared with 38.94 million harvested last year. Barley output in 2004 was pegged at 61.77 million tonnes, against a harvest of 54.42 million in 2003.
Poland, the biggest agricultural producer of the 10 predominantly central and east European states that joined the bloc in May, was estimated to have harvested 28.28 million tonnes of cereals compared with 23.35 million in 2003.