USDA estimated that corn production in the EU is at a record of 71.0 million tons, up 3.9 percent or 2.7 million tons from last month, up 11 percent from last year, and up 15 percent from the 5-year average. Area is estimated at 9.6 million hectares, up 0.05 million hectares from last month, but down 0.2 million hectares from last year. Yield is estimated at 7.43 tons per hectare, 13 percent above last year, and 9.5 percent above the 5-year average.  

Corn has benefitted from very heavy rainfall that occurred throughout most of Europe for the latter half of the summer. Though harvesting is underway, delays are occurring through areas in  southeast Europe where rainfall has continued during the campaign. The rain is not expected to damage the crop. 

Within the EU, corn production was raised in many of its biggest corn-producing nations. Production was raised 0.6 million tons in France, the single largest corn producer, to a record 17.0 million tons, 16 percent higher than last year. France’s 2014/15 yield is estimated at 9.71 tons per hectare, 16 percent higher than last year’s poor crop. Production was also raised in Italy by 0.5 million tons to 8.2 million. Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia also received beneficial rainfall that increased their crop totals. Hungary was revised up 0.5 million tons to 8.5 million, Romania’s crop is up 0.5 million to 10.6 million tons, and Slovakia’s crop is up 0.17 million to a record 1.6 million tons.