OLEOPRECISIÓN Operational Group: Modernization of oilseed cultivation in Spain

According to data from the General Technical Secretariat of MAPAMA, the area under cultivation for oilseeds in the 2016/2017 marketing year (795,000 ha) is less than 2% lower than the previous season and 6% lower than the average for the last five seasons. Sunflowers continue to be the main oilseed crop in Spain, accounting for nearly 90% of the crop, followed by rapeseed, which has quadrupled its area since 2010.

This reduction is due to sunflower production, which has decreased by 4% compared to the previous season and 12% compared to the average. However, rapeseed production has doubled, increasing by 26% year-on-year.

Soybean acreage, which is much smaller than other oilseeds, will be reduced by 30% compared to the previous season but will increase by nearly 26% compared to the average.

Sunflower production for the 2016/17 season is estimated to increase by 4% compared to the previous season, but will decrease by 22% compared to the average of the last five seasons.

Rapeseed production will almost triple the average and increase by 53% compared to the previous season due to higher yields and increased acreage, although this is not representative of the overall oilseed production figure.