EU boosts world wheat production with 20m grains

The United Nations (UN) says that the European Union (EU) will boost the recovery strategy in the world wheat production in 2013-2014, by lifting the industry with about 20 million tones of grains.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that early prospects for 2013 cereal production points to increased world wheat output and by contributing largely to this outlook is an estimated 4-5 per cent increase in the winter wheat area in the European Union where, additionally, winter wheat conditions have been generally favourable so far.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that EU is the world's top wheat producer, ahead of China and India.

The FAO also highlighted that prospects are "satisfactory" in Russia and Ukraine, where winter plantings had remained in line with the previous year's levels.

Moisture conditions, FAO noted are somewhat improved in the region, except for areas of southern Russia, an important source of export supplies, which was worst affected by drought last year.

Equally, prospects are reported favourable in China, boosted by a higher minimum purchase price which has encouraged seedings, as said by FAO, to allay the fears from some other observers earlier in the winter of potential damage from unusually cold temperatures.

In India, plantings are around last year's good level, and another bumper crop is in prospect, the organization said, raising the drought-hit US as the exception to the upbeat picture.

NNEKA ALAMAEZE/LS

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