This was considerably more optimistic than recent tradeestimates which had forecast a reduction in German rapeseed sowings of up to ten percent for the new crop. But a survey of planting intentions by German farmers showedthat German rapeseed sowings for the 2011 crop would fall by only about 1,5 percent on the year to 1,44 million hectares, said Ufop chairman Klaus Kliem (on the picture). Repeated rain this autumn had seriously disrupted rapeseedplantings but the impact was not as severe as had been feared, Kliem said during a Ufop presentation at the Eurotier farming trade fair. „High prices for rapeseed have encouraged more farmers toplant it,” he said. „Following the poor sowing conditions which meant some late plantings were made, it is still questionable whether crop development will be enough to survive the winter. But the sown area is still enough to develop a yield potential for 5,5 to 6 million tonnes.”