Abstract
Following a brief look at the process of economic change and adjustment that has taken place in the countries of the former Eastern Europe and USSR over recent years, the impact of these changes on the production of oilseeds and the consumption of oils and fats is examined and future prospects are discussed. Changing from a state-controlled to a market economy has been a difficult and complex process, particularly in the countries of the former USSR. The process of adjustment has been long and has in the short term caused significant falls in production and revenue. In Eastern Europe, production of oilseeds, principally of sunflowers and rapeseed fell from 5.4 Mt in 1986 to 3.8 Mt in 1993. Although the surface area under cultivation remained aboutthe same over the period, average yield per ha declined, mainly as a result of lower levels of fertiliser availability and unfavourable climatic conditions. In the former USSR, the picture has been similar, with oilseed production, mainly of sunflowers and soyabeans, falling from 13.3 Mt in 1989 to 10.3 Mt in 1993, a decline of almost 25%. Over the same period, oil and fat consumption declined in real terms in former Eastern Europe and USSR. In the long term, the situation is likely to improve considerably, particularly for the production of sunflowers, soyabeans and rapeseed in the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, the Baltic States, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. This will help to meet the increasing demand in the EU. However, a further period of adjustment will be necessary before these countries will be able to benefit from lower production costs and begin to expand their production.Following a brief look at the process of economic change and adjustment that has taken place in the countries of the former Eastern Europe and USSR over recent years, the impact of these changes on the production of oilseeds and the consumption of oils and fats is examined and future prospects are discussed. Changing from a state-controlled to a market economy has been a difficult and complex process, particularly in the countries of the former USSR. The process of adjustment has been long and has in the short term caused significant falls in production and revenue. In Eastern Europe, production of oilseeds, principally of sunflowers and rapeseed fell from 5.4 Mt in 1986 to 3.8 Mt in 1993. Although the surface area under cultivation remained aboutthe same over the period, average yield per ha declined, mainly as a result of lower levels of fertiliser availability and unfavourable climatic conditions. In the former USSR, the picture has been similar, with oilseed production, mainly of sunflowers and soyabeans, falling from 13.3 Mt in 1989 to 10.3 Mt in 1993, a decline of almost 25%. Over the same period, oil and fat consumption declined in real terms in former Eastern Europe and USSR. In the long term, the situation is likely to improve considerably, particularly for the production of sunflowers, soyabeans and rapeseed in the Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, the Baltic States, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. This will help to meet the increasing demand in the EU. However, a further period of adjustment will be necessary before these countries will be able to benefit from lower production costs and begin to expand their production.