Germany generally produces around a quarter of the EU's annual rapeseed crop of about 20 million tonnes.

Farmers in the world's third-biggest producer after China and Canada plant rapeseed crop during October-November, while harvest starts from March.

A 4.4 million tonnes rapeseed crop would produce about 1.7 million tonnes of rapeseed oil, he said.

China will harvest its own rapeseed crop in May and June, and its domestic harvest last year was about 13 million tonnes.

Rain and hail hit the rapeseed crop in the tourist state of Rajasthan, which accounts for more than half of India's rapeseed output.

EU biodiesel producers, which mostly make the fuel from locally grown rapeseed crops, feared that the measure would have major consequences on the industry.

A study in the journal Arthropod-Plant Interactions shows that the more neonicotinoid pesticides were used to treat rapeseed crops, the more their yield declines.

Falk said the low EU rapeseed crop is likely to generate higher than foreseen imports of both rapeseed, edible oils and biodiesel in coming months.

An Indian scientist holds a genetically modified (GM) rapeseed crop under trial in New Delhi, India February 13, 2015.

An Indian scientist holds a genetically modified (GM) rapeseed crop under trial in New Delhi, India, in this February 13, 2015 file photo.