EU soybean harvest to fall 20% in 2026 to 2.4 million tons
In Ukraine, UkrAgroConsult reported that soybean production in the European Union is expected to decline by approximately 20% in 2026 compared with the previous year, reaching 2.4 million tons.
According to a new report by Donau Soja, the main factors behind the lower harvest are prolonged heatwaves, drought and reduced planting areas across most European countries. Average soybean yields in the EU are estimated at 2.24 t/ha, approximately 15% below the five-year average.
Italy remains the EU’s largest soybean producer, with production expected at around 900,000 tons, down 15% year-on-year. In Austria, output could fall by 36% to 180,000 tons. Meanwhile, Poland and Germany are showing the opposite trend. Poland is expected to become the EU’s third-largest soybean producer, with a harvest of 264,000 tons, an increase of more than 15% compared with last year. Germany’s soybean production is forecast to rise by 2.4% to 134,000 tons, according to the report.
In Ukraine, which remains one of Europe’s key suppliers of non-GM soybeans, production in 2026 is estimated at 4.4 million tons, down 10% year-on-year. Adverse weather conditions and lower production have been accompanied by weaker export activity. In September, Ukraine exported only around 27,000 tons of soybeans, approximately one-third of the volume shipped in the same month of 2025, the report added.
Category: Food & Agriculture
