Stable silage maize production

On August 4th, the Ministry of Agriculture published its forecasts for field crop harvests in 2021, marked by a very strong annual increase in straw cereal production: +25% for soft wheat (36.7 million tonnes), +12% for barley (11.7 million tonnes), +41% for triticale (1.7 million tonnes), +20% for oats (0.47 million tonnes), +46% for rye (0.2 million tonnes).

In maize, "the first forecasts made two months before the start of the harvest are indicative", warns the ministry. This summer's growing conditions were marked by heavy rainfall, which was favourable to the development of maize. Grain maize areas (including seeds) are down by about 258,000 ha compared to 2020 and yields are expected to rise sharply to 91.8 q/ha, 11.5 q/ha higher than in 2020. Production is provisionally estimated at 13.2 Mt (-3.1% year-on-year and +0.1% compared to the 2016-2020 average). Maize fodder production is expected to increase slightly by 0.6% to 16.6 Mt : a marked increase in yield (124.7 q/ha compared with 116.5 q/ha in 2020) compensates for a significant erosion of the area: 1.33 Mha compared with 1.42 Mha in 2020.

According to the Ministry, 'protein crop production would jump by 42% over one year and by 34.7% compared to the 2016-2020 average. Areas are expected to increase by 7.1% over one year and yields by 8.2 q/ha. Protein pea production would be up by 43.9% compared to 2020 and would be split 80% for pure protein peas and 20% for mixed peas. The faba bean crop would increase by 37.1% and sweet lupin by 3.4%.

"Soybean production is estimated at 427,000 tonnes, up 5.1% in the last three years. It will increase by 5.1% in one year, due to an increase in yield from 21.7 q/ha in 2020 to 27.4 q/ha in 2021, and despite a decrease in surface area from 187 000 ha in 2020 to 156 000 ha in 2021.”


https://www.grands-troupeaux-mag.fr/stabilite-de-la-production-de-mais-ensilage/