Nogger's Blog

16/12/10 -- Winter rapeseed plantings in Ukraine are down by almost a quarter to 1.08 million hectares, according to the state statistics committee. The reduction was doubtless largely caused by the hangover from this season's summer drought when rapeseed should have got planted in the autumn.

Rapeseed production has fallen sharply in the last few years from a peak of 2.9 MMT in 2008/09, just 1.5 MMT was harvested this year. In 2011 that could dip below 1.2 MMT by the looks of things.

So Europe will have to look elsewhere to cover it's anticipated rapeseed deficit in 2011/12 it seems. That's OK, as they were most unlikely to be able to conform to the new sustainability criteria rules anyway. The problem is virtually nobody else can either. Yikes!

Further reading: Achtung Baby!