COCERAL has published its first forecast on the grain yield in the EU in the current season. A 3% growth is expected on the 2016 one up to 304.4 mln tons thanks to the average production, which will be 5,380 kg/hectare (5220). Soft wheat production will be 144.8 mln tons (135.1), corn production will be 61.0 mln tons (60.6), hard wheat production will be 8.4 mln tons (9.7) and barley production will be 59.6 mln tons (59.6).

In the current season, farmers in the USA will increase their soybean areas to the record large 86.4 mln acres according to a Rabobank forecast. Corn areas will decrease by a smaller percentage than expected – 2.5 mln acres versus 2016 down to 91.5 mln tons. A lot of forecasts now project 90 mln acres of corn areas.

915,000 tons of sunflower oil were produced in Ukraine in January and February, which marks a 32.8% growth on the previous year. 239,000 tons of oil were produced in February alone, which is 7.7% less than January, but 17.6% more than February 2016.

Jordan has announced an auction for the purchase of hard milling wheat of rndom origin to be delivered in September and/or October. The country has postponed an auction for the purchase of 100,000 tons of barley fodder.

50% of the planned spring barley areas were sowed in France in the past week. Thus 91% of the planned areas have been sowed since the start of the campaign versus 41% a week earlier and 83% a year earlier. 91% winter soft wheat areas are in good or excellent condition (92% and 92%) while the numbers for winter barley are 85% (87% and 91%).

On March 23, 2017 the Taiwanese Millers' Association purchased 98,200 tons of wheat from the USA to be delivered in May - June.

Soft wheat export from the EU was only 98,000 tons in the past week.

According to an FAS USDA forecast, corn production in South Africa will decrease by 18% down to 12 mln tons in 2017 – 2018 compared with the current season. Corn areas decline of 7.5% is expected down to 2.8 mln hectares.