In 2020, Russian farmers managed to set a record for rapeseed harvest: 2.6 million tons.
However, this record may be updated this season.
Rapeseed is one of the most important crops for livestock production.
According to research, rapeseed contains even more nutrients than soy. In addition, its cultivation has a beneficial effect on the soil, reducing the amount of fungi and rot there.
In addition to feed, oil is actively produced from rapeseed.
Despite the fact that the harvest of 2020 was a record in history, prices turned in the wrong direction: last season, the price of a ton of rapeseed reached 40 thousand rubles, which is also a record value.
How can this be?
The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS USDA) explains: It’s all about global trends.
In 2019, the world produced no more than 69.1 million tons of rapeseed, in 2020 — 71.5 million tons.
And this is on average 2 million tons less than the annual consumption. For this reason, there was a reduction in stocks — and a logical increase in prices.
At the same time, FAS USDA predicts that this season the rapeseed harvest will be higher than the annual consumption, and this could turn the price down in the future.
Russia expands rapeseed production
According to experts, in the current season, this crop has been sown in much more areas than usual (about 100 thousand hectares). And spring rape was planted this year by 11% more than planned.
It is obvious that such activity of farmers in relation to rapeseed is not least associated with the increase in its price.
In the season 2020-2021 the profitability of rapeseed reached 20%, which is also an extremely high indicator.
The demand for rapeseed is growing for several reasons at once:
Increased demand from livestock production . The more this branch of agriculture develops, the more it requires feed — and in particular, rapeseed.
Export growth . China and Europe last season gathered a low own rapeseed crop, so their interest in purchasing this crop increased, including from Russia.
Government support . It is planned that this season buttermakers will receive a total of up to 3.42 billion rubles. In particular, enterprises that grow rapeseed or produce oil and meal from it will be able to count on such assistance.
Experts believe that rapeseed in Russia has a great future, while the driver for the development of this crop will be the use of new breeding varieties — first of all, frost and drought resistant.
