CropRadar: Winter oilseed rape for harvest 2021 - Germany in the lead

Kleffmann Digital measured in December/January the winter oilseed rape area across Europe via it’s satellite-based digital tool CropRadar. The third year in a row the oilseed rape area in Europe is declining. From over 8 million ha in 2018 down to less than 7 million ha drilled seed in autumn 2020. 

Germany takes over lead from Ukraine in WOSR cultivation

Ukraine, the leading country in the last two years, has significantly dropped and is now on position three, head by head with Poland with an area of approximately 870k ha. New leader, for the first time since a couple of years, is Germany with an area close to 1 million ha, followed by France. 

Continuous decline in cultivation area in Europe over the last three years

In addition to Ukraine, the overall decrease in Europe is also a result of strong declines in France and Great Britain along with smaller losses in Romania and some other Eastern European countries. There are various reasons for the drop: bad yields in 2020, less favourable sowing conditions in autumn 2020, or the loss of neonics and the flea beetle problem in Great Britain. 

Positive Signals for a trend reversal

On the flip side there are also positive signals like an increasing area in Germany and higher commodity prices. The significance of winter oilseed rape will play an more important role in the  crop rotations in line with the EU‘s Farm to Fork. As a cash crop winter oilseed rape still provides a healthy return.

Would you like to know more about the current cultivation figures and area distributions of WOSR? Then get in touch with us!

Your contact person:

Karen Gralla
Key Account Director
Phone: +49 2591 96801 – 31
Email: karen.gralla@kleffmann.digital