Romania’s corn production from a cultivated area of 2.72 million hectares dropped to 5.92 million tons last year. The corn yield was 2,170 kg/ha, almost three times below the EU average, of 6,150 kg/ha.
According to the INS, the country ranked first in the EU by the area of corn-growing land, and came in the third spot regarding production, after France and Italy, due to low yield.
Romania’s wheat production was 5.19 million tons last year and the cultivated area stood at 1.98 million hectares. The country had the lowest yield in the EU, of 2,624 kg/ha.
According to the INS, Romania registered increase only of the sugar beet production, of 12%, as the cultivated area increased 47.4%.
Its cereal production fell 39.1% to 12.69 million tons in 2012 from 20.84 million tons in 2011: corn (-52%), wheat (-28.4%), barley (-25.8%) and oat (-13.9%).
The oleaginous plant production decreased 38.3% as both the cultivated area and the yield dropped.
The production of rapeseed declined almost five times and the soy and sunflower output fell 28.7% and 22.4%, respectively.
Romania saw a 17.2% decline of the vegetables output last year.
The agricultural production decrease was one the main factors that limited Romania’s economic growth to 0.3% in 2012. The gross value added in the agriculture sector shrank 21.2% and in the industry sector fell 2.1%.