Despite a 10% increase in cultivation area, the EU's soybean harvest fell to just under 2.8 million tons, about 10,000 tons less than last year, primarily due to unfavorable growing conditions, particularly in Romania and Hungary. Italy remains the top producer, yielding 1 million tons, while Ukraine's record harvest of over 6 million tons helped offset EU losses. The EU's self-sufficiency in soy stands at only 8%, with certified Ukrainian soy filling the gap.