by PressRomania expects a good wheat harvest this season
What a good wheat harvest depends on
Last year, Romania experienced a decrease in wheat yields. The reason was the drought, which caused serious damage to the agricultural industry of the country. This season, however, experts promise a favorable forecast. Local farmers expect a good wheat harvest, which will contribute to greater exports to other countries, including Egypt.
Before the drought, Romania was considered one of the largest suppliers of grain in the European Union. Its main market was the Middle East, and the leading exporters of the region were France and Russia.
Last year, the Romanian wheat production was 6.4 million tons, which were grown on an area of 2.1 million hectares. This result is 38% lower than in previous periods. This season, farmers plan to increase the area under crops in order to harvest more grain. In addition, the sufficient amount of precipitation and warm winter, which was observed this year, will help increase production volumes. According to the forecasts, the wheat harvest could amount to 8.5-10 million tons. At this figure, the export supply of Romania could be in the amount of 5.5-7 million tons. This option is possible if the standard volume of grain consumption in the domestic market is maintained — usually it is 2.5-3 million tons.
Experts confirm that at the moment wheat sprouts are developing well, thanks to the mild winter they were not affected by severe frosts. Based on such data, farmers believe that the production threshold of 10 million tons is quite realistic. However, an important condition for this is sufficient rainfall in the near future. Meteorologists say that for the development and good growth of the grain crop it is necessary to keep an optimal reserve of moisture in the ground at a depth of 1 meter. If the weather is favorable, we can expect the average yield to increase to 3.8 tons per hectare, which in turn will provide a yield of about 8.5 million tons. By comparison, that figure was 2.9 tons per hectare in 2020.
Analysts hope that a good harvest will improve Romania’s position on the world stage as a competitive exporter. However, it is also worth focusing on other countries that plan to increase supply.
In May, Egypt bought 240 thousand tons of wheat of flour category from Romania. Deliveries are scheduled for August, and the contract is concluded through the exporter’s participation in the tender. Grain will be provided in several batches at different prices.