UK OSR planted area increases by 7% but imports still needed
© Tim Scrivener The estimated oilseed rape area for autumn drilling in the UK is 413,000ha for 2022, up from 386,000ha for the previous year.
The UK is expected to remain a net importer of OSR in 2023 though, with production projected to be below domestic demand, according to grower co-op United Oilseeds.
Chris Baldwin, the company’s managing director, said: “This means the UK will be left some 438,000t short of self-sufficiency.
“With international supplies also hindered by availability and the war in Ukraine, the outlook for OSR market prices remains bullish.”
See also: How OSR growers are affected by Ukraine war and politics
United Oilseeds has forecast more than a 5% loss between the planted area and the harvest for the crop in the coming year.
OSR plantings in some regions have struggled, although this is reportedly fairly localised.
Owen Cligg, trading manager at United Oilseeds, told Farmers Weekly that about 5-10% of the crop that has just gone into the ground has potentially failed due to flea beetle or other diseases and pests.
However, in the previous year, this figure was closer to 25-30%.
Wider marketplace
Mr Cligg said next year’s OSR plantings in Ukraine are fairly similar to plantings for the previous 12 months.
There will be a crop that will probably be harvested in Ukraine, but it will be a case of how accessible that crop is to the world market, he said.
Rapeseed prices on the Paris futures market (Matif) for February 2023 opened at €665.50/t (£580.18) on 4 November.
OSR seed market
Hybrid varieties are becoming increasing common and now account for about 80% of the market, with conventional varieties making up the remaining 20%.
Aurelia accounts for 30% of the hybrid market in the UK, while Acacia accounts for a 40% share of the conventional market.
Mr Baldwin said: “It is worth noting that in terms of variety type planted by growers, there has been a clear swing to hybrid varieties.
“From our own sales over the past six years, we can see that the area planted to hybrids has increased from 43,609ha in 2017 to 86,835ha in 2022, while the conventional area has dropped from 58,267ha to 23,240ha over the same period.”
Improved profits
United Oilseeds made a pre-tax profit of £1.78m for the year ending 30 June 2022, up by £275,000 on the previous year.
Turnover was up by £2.52m to total £174.49m.
Total volumes traded by the firm increased by 6.5% to total 421,132t.
The co-op is made up of 4,500 farmer members, and trades rapeseed, linseed, oats, pulses and hybrid rye.
“United Oilseeds has a 30% share of the UK’s oilseed rape market and a similar share of finished crop marketing,” said Mr Baldwin.