site.btaUnfavourable Weather Causes Major Drop in Average Yields of Sunflower and Grain Maize

Unfavourable weather has led to a serious drop in the average yields of sunflower and grain maize this year, by 11.4% and 34.3% year-on-year respectively, according to Agriculture and Food Ministry data as at October 17.

As at mid-October, outdoor production of peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, melons and watermelons was between 5.8% (peppers) and 62% (watermelons) higher than a year earlier. The increase is mainly due to the larger areas planted and harvested so far. In addition, yields per hectare increased for peppers, tomatoes and watermelons. Potato and cabbage outputs decreased by 15.1% and 41.2% respectively year-on-year. There was a 1.8% decrease in the output of outdoor strawberries. So far this year, greenhouse production dropped by 30.7% for tomatoes and 12.1% for cucumbers.

There was an increase in the output of plums, table grapes, raspberries, pears and walnuts, ranging from 3.8% (plums) to 24.4% (walnuts) year-on-year. So far, wine grapes and apples are below last year's levels by 5% and 14.8% respectively.

As at October 17, the areas cropped with wheat and barley were smaller by 30.8% and 20.6% respectively compared to a year earlier. Areas cropped with rye were 27.9% larger than a year earlier.

As at October 16, there was a slight appreciation of Bulgaria's major grain and oilseed crops, in the range of 1.4% (feed wheat and sunflower) to 3% (bread wheat), on a weekly basis. Only the price of barley dropped by 0.6%.

Cereals continued to trade at lower prices than a year earlier, with decreases ranging from 1.6% (maize) to 8% (barley). Sunflower rose by 32.9%.