EU grain and oilseed harvests seen rising

European Union grain harvests should rise to 258.32 million tonnes this year from the 253.50 million turned out in 2005, EU grain lobby Coceral said in its latest crop forecasts on Friday. Soft wheat production was pegged at 117.84 million tonnes, up from a previous 115.32 million, it said.
France, the EU's grain powerhouse, would harvest 37.05 million tonnes of soft wheat, up from 34.85 million previously, whereas German production was expected to rise to 24.04 million tonnes from 23.64 million in 2005, Coceral said in its report.
Overall EU-25 barley production was forecast at 56.79 million tonnes, up from the 52.88 million harvested last year. However, EU-25 output of maize would fall to 45.46 million tonnes from the 48.05 million tonnes harvested in 2005.
Oilseeds harvests were also likely to be higher this year, with 2006 production expected to rise to 20.28 million tonnes from the 20.09 million tonnes turned out last year.