LONDON, ENGLAND — Wheat harvested area across the world in 2013-14 may be the largest since 1998, according to the International Grains Council (IGC) in its Nov. 29 Grain Market Report. The IGC forecast world wheat harvested area in 2013-14 at 223.2 million hectares (1 hectare equals about 2.47 acres). The forecast compared with 218.3 million hectares in 2012-13 and 220.7 million hectares in 2011-12.
The IGC indicated its forecast considered the impact of elevated domestic and international wheat prices and assumed normal growing conditions.
Increased harvested areas were forecast in the E.U., Russia, Ukraine, the U.S. and Argentina.
“In the Northern Hemisphere, where winter wheat planting is almost complete, the crop condition is regarded as generally good and the plants are reasonably established ahead of the winter, except for parts of the U.S., where dry conditions slowed germination, and parts of the E.U. (United Kingdom and France) where conditions were overly wet,” the IGC said.