site.btaThis Year's Wheat Harvest Marks Historic Peak

Sofia, August 9 (BTA) - This year will see a record-high wheat harvest. According to preliminary estimates, the expected harvest is between 5.85 and 5.95 million tonnes, up from the 5.66 million tonnes gathered last year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests said.

A harvest of almost 6 million is a historic peak. Bulgaria has never reached such levels, the Ministry said.

The increase is due to the higher average yield per decare. It has increased by around 8 per cent compared to last year - from 475 kg/decare to 513 kg/decare. The harvested areas are around 11.4 million tonnes.

Apart from being of higher amount, this year's harvest is expected to be of better quality as well. 815 samples were analysed as at August 3. The results showed that 46.39 per cent had very good quality indicators. In this way fears that the introduction of high-yield French and Austrian varieties will affect adversely the grain quality are dismissed.

The record-high amounts harvested will boost exports. By August 15 the export of grain is expected to exceed 1 million tonnes, of barley - 189,000 tonnes and of rape - 152,000 tonnes.