German wheat and rapeseed crops in 2017 are expected to increase on the year despite repeated rain in past weeks, the country's association of farm cooperatives said on Thursday. Germany's 2017 wheat crop will increase 3.8 percent on the year to 25.39 million tonnes, the association estimates. Germany's 2017 winter rapeseed crop will rise 4.6 percent on the year to 4.78 million tonnes, it said. This was little changed from the 25.20 million tonnes of wheat and 4.78 million tonnes of rapeseed the association forecast in its previous estimates on June 14.
Germany is the European Union's second largest wheat producer after France and in most years the EU's largest producer of rapeseed, Europe's main oilseed for edible oil and biodiesel production. Repeated rain in Germany in June and so far in July had led to concerns about loss of quality or crops being knocked over, known as being put into lodging. Wheat and rapeseed harvesting has now started in southern regions of Germany where work traditionally starts first, the association said.
It is "too early to make a realistic initial assessment" of quality, it said. But wheat protein content, an important criteria of German wheat in export markets, may reach average levels despite fears the rain could cause late crop damage. Nationally, the crop lodging problem is also at usual levels, it said.