EU-27 Plantings Up For 2011

11/11/10 -- French analysts Strategie Grains forecast that EU farmers will plant more wheat and barley for the 2011 harvest encouraged by sharply higher cereal prices.

Adverse weather conditions in some areas means that the increase in soft wheat planted area won't grow by that much though - only 500,000 hectares, or just 2.2% to 23.4 million hectares.

Much of the land that hasn't been able to get winter wheat in will be sown with spring barley of corn. The total EU-27 barley area is seen rising 2.9% to 12.6 million hectares, and corn plantings will increase by 6.2% to 8.6 million hectares, they predict.

The total EU-27 oilseed planted area is seen holding steady at 11.6 million hectares, they add.