The results are close to 2011, a record year for Romania’s agriculture, according to June projections of Coceral, an organization of European grain traders and processors.
“Production will be higher as a result of the good weather. If it rains once in June and once in July, I think we won’t have a problem year,” says Stefan Gheorghita, general manager of certified seeds producer Caussade Semences (EUR15.4 million revenue) and also a farmer working 600 hectares in Braila.
Romania and Italy trading places in the grain production ranking is because of the 40% increase in local production and because the Italian harvest is expected to be slightly lower.
Wheat harvest forecast is 6.8 million (up 26%), while corn harvest should reach 9.1 million tons (up 68.5%).
The positive estimates are driving prices down, as the first prices for the new harvest are said to be EUR150-EUR160/ton for wheat.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)