European Union farmers will increase sowings of wheat into 2030. The European Commission, in an annual update on medium-term agricultural forecasts, estimated that soft wheat seedings will surge from this years 23.6 million (m) hectares to 24.8m hectares by 2030. The expansion will drive EU soft wheat output to 160.7m tonnes by 2030, from the 142.5m harvested tonnes this year will be accompanied by a moderate rise in prices. Exports prospects for cereals appear particularly strong, said the commission, terming them positive, and seeing shipments up 35% in 2030.