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Copa-Cogeca Release EU-27 Oilseeds Figures

09 December 2011

EU - Despite the bad weather conditions, Copa-Cogeca released new EU-27 oilseeds estimates for the 2010/11 and 2012/13 marketing year today, confirming a good EU harvest this year and a stable outlook for next year.

This is a result of new improved productive varieties and demonstrates the need for research and innovation.

Gerard Tubery, Chairman of Copa-Cogeca Working Party on Oilseeds and Protein Crops said “This years EU-27 oilseeds harvest was quite good reaching 28.8 million tonnes, which is a slight rise compared to last year. Provisional forecasts for next year show the sowing area for EU-27 rapeseed is more or less stable, with a 5.2 per cent increase in production expected (see figures for details). This is largely a result of new improved varieties and highlights the need for research and innovation under the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)."

But he added that not all arable land in the EU is being farmed. In addition, only part of the oilseed, cereals and sugar beet crop used to produce biofuels are actually converted into energy. The majority stays in the food and feed sector, with protein-rich by-products from biofuel production helping the EU to reduce its heavy dependence on imported animal feed.

Increased biofuel production in the EU also relieves land pressures in non-EU countries and helps to combat deforestation of tropical rainforests. “We consequently call on the EU Commission not to introduce legislation which creates barriers to cultivating biofuel production in the EU and penalises EU growers. This would only result in deforestation and higher emissions in non-EU countries which runs counter to the EU’s objectives”, Copa-Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said.

TheCropSite News Desk

Rape, Sugar (Cane & Beet), Research, Bioenergy

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