PARIS: The European Commission on Friday raised its forecast of usable production of common wheat for the European Union’s 27 member countries in 2021/22 to 127.7 million tonnes from 125.8 million estimated last month.

That compared with a 2020/21 crop of 117.2 million tonnes, the Commission’s monthly supply and demand data showed.

The outlook for EU common wheat exports in 2021/22 was unchanged at 30 million tonnes estimated in June. That compared with an estimate of 27 million tonnes in the 2020/21 season ending June 30.

Forecast usable production of barley in the EU in 2021/22 was cut by 0.9 million tonnes compared with last month to 52.6 million tonnes, while maize output next season was raised to 72.8 million tonnes from 70.6 million last month.

Expected EU maize imports were cut by 1 million tonnes to 14 million tonnes for 2021/22 compared to last month, the data showed.

In oilseeds, projected EU rapeseed production was lifted to 16.9 million tonnes from a forecast of 16.7 million last month, while rapeseed imports in 2021/22 were cut to 6 million tonnes from 6.2 million.