TOP 10 Rapeseed Producing Countries in 2019

Canada is an unquestionable leader in rapeseed production and export in 2019/20: the country produced 19 mln t of rapeseed, of which 9.5 mln t were exported. The country is also the second-largest producer of rapeseed oil. Last year it produced 4.2 million tons, of which 82% or 3.5 mln t were exported.

All of China's rapeseed is processed by domestic enterprises. In ten years, the rapeseed area has decreased by 0.6 mln ha or 8%. In 2019/20, the crop covers 6.6 mln ha. This makes the country the second-largest rapeseed producer. China dominates rapeseed oil production in 2019/20 with 6.1 mln t of output, which is also consumed domestically, thus less than 1% is exported.

India remains in the top three for the vast areas under this oilseed crop. The 30% increase in sown areas has intensified rapeseed production by apx. 15.x to 7.7 mln t over the past decade. At the same time, yields remain among the lowest in the world — only 1.1 t/ha.

A 3.1 t/ha rapeseed yield ensures France the first position among the European producers. The sown area has been reduced by 29% over the past year, resulting in a production decrease of 1.4 mln t or 29%. One of the factors that led to this reduction was pests. It has become more difficult for French farmers to control insects since the ban on insecticides containing neonicotinoids was introduced.

In Ukraine, winter rapeseed is grown mainly, it accounts for 97% of the total area and only 3% falls on spring rapeseed (сolza). Over the past three years, the area under rapeseed in Ukraine has increased by 182% to 1.3 mln ha, which has led to an almost three-fold increase in production to 3.3 mln t (+186%). Almost 90% of all rapeseed produced is exported. The domestic processing industry is supplied with 0.37 mln t.

Germany is the second-largest producer of rapeseed among the EU member states — 17%. As compared to the previous year, the sown area has decreased by 0.3 mln ha or 27%, which led to a 20% decrease in production to 3 mln t.

Rapeseed is a widespread oilseed crop in Poland. The country is one of the key rapeseed producers and ranks third in the EU — 14% of the total output. In the last five years, the harvested area has fallen by 13% and the production volume by 30%.

Rapeseed production in Australia accounted for 89% of all country's oilseeds production in 2019/20. Recent seasons in Australia have been marked by severe weather events and a decline in sown areas resulting in poor yield. In two years, production has fallen by 41% to 2.3 mln t. Exports account for almost 80%, while the remaining amount (0.8 mln t) is processed domestically.

In the period of ten years, the harvested area has increased by more than 2.5x to 1.4 mln ha in 2019/20. Rapeseed production in Russia more than tripled to 2.1 mln t, and among oilseeds produced it accounts for 9%. More than 70% is processed domestically for oil and oil cake, and 26% is exported.

The United Kingdom ranks fourth in the EU holding a 10% share of the total production and tenth in the world rating. Rapeseed cultivation in the country is becoming less popular: in just two years, through the reduction of harvested areas, production fell by 19% to 1.8 mln t. This will in the future stimulate an increase in imports of this crop from other countries.