Like the United States, the European Union is reaping a record corn crop this year, says USDA, estimating the European crop at 71 million tonnes. That’s 11 percent larger than last year’s crop and 4 percent larger than estimated a month ago. “Corn has benefited from very heavy rainfall that occurred throughout most of Europe for the latter half of the summer,” said USDA in its World Agricultural Production report. Rainfall has interfered with harvesting in southeastern Europe but is not expected to damage the crop.
With a record crop, Europe will import half as much corn this marketing year as it did last season, says USDA. The EU is the fourth-largest corn producer in the world, behind the United States, China and Brazil, and consumes almost all of it at home along with being a routine importer.