Large imports of rapeseed into the EU, figures show

In the first quarter of the running crop year, rapeseed imports to the EU exceeded those of the same period last year.
Just over two-thirds of those imports came from Ukraine.
Between the beginning of the crop year and 6 October, EU-27 imports of rapeseed amounted to 1.41 million tonnes, which represents an increase of just over 17% on the previous year.
The imports are used to supplement supply from EU production. Demand for imports is high this season due to the sub-standard 2024 harvest.
Ukraine remains the most important country of origin, supplying 960,400 tonnes. This translates to a 68% share of imports and a 60% increase from the previous year's 599,400 tonnes.
However, according to Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft, Ukraine is unlikely to sustain this export volume in the coming months. This expectation is based on the 25% harvest decline compared to the previous year, which severely curtails the country's export potential.
Australia is the EU's second most important rapeseed supplier, delivering 351,800 tonnes and accounting for 25% of EU rapeseed imports.
This translates to an increase of 3% over the same period a year earlier. Moldova ranks third, supplying 56,200 tonnes. Deliveries from Moldova more than halved compared to the same time a year earlier. Most of this rapeseed likely originated from Ukraine.
Canada has not supplied any significant quantity this crop year but could increase its share of imports due to its exceptionally large harvest and the loss of China as an importing country.
However, the use of Canadian rapeseed in the EU is restricted because of its genetically modified varieties. This makes the biofuels market the most important trade channel for Canadian rapeseed oil.