Bulgaria: Updated oilseed production forecast for 2023 mainly due to weather

According to the European Commission’s July crop monitoring report, average sunflower and rapeseed yields in  2023 will be lower than last month’s forecast. For Bulgaria, the decrease in yield is also expected, especially for rapeseed:

• for rapeseed – by 6.5%,
• for sunflower – only by 0.4%.

Weather conditions in Bulgaria:

– heavy rainfall in June replenished the soil moisture reserves, overcoming the accumulated precipitation deficit from the summer of 2022;

– in July, the precipitation was uneven: from abundant in the Western regions of Bulgaria to insufficient in the East;

– the delay in rapeseed harvesting is due to soil overwetting in the western regions, the yield is higher y/y;

– the temperature was conducive to crop growth until June 20, after which temperatures exceeded the average. After 8-10 July, the temperatures became extreme, reaching up to 35-40°C on certain days.

Rapeseed

• winter rapeseed area (-24% compared to 2022)
• yield – 2.6 t/ha (+9%)
•  harvest – 260, K ma (-22%).

 Sunflower

• sunflower sowing area (-4% y/y)
• yield (+4%)
• harvest (-1.2%, the second record).