Bulgaria corn harvest tops 2.3 mil mt, wheat area 10.6 mil ha

Bulgaria’s corn harvest has reached 2.3 million mt of corn and is now 95.2% complete, data from the country’s agriculture ministry for the week ending November 23 revealed early Thursday.

While the corn harvest winds down, the country’s winter wheat crop continues apace and is now spanning 10.6 million hectares, according to the data – up 4.2% on the same stage of last year.

With less than 5% of the harvest still awaiting collection, Bulgaria remains on track to produce 2.4 million mt of corn and looks poised to boost its 2017/18 wheat volumes too.

With the total wheat area of 2016 standing at 10,987,010 ha and yields of 524 kg/ha, plantings are already complete on 10,610,175 ha – a rise of 4.2% versus the same period in 2016.

Should that increase continue, wheat is likely to see its area expand, particularly with the area planted with barley decreasing by 15.3% according to the data.

If that increase versus last year is maintained, Bulgaria’s wheat area could top 11 million ha, taking the harvest to 5.8 million mt – a rise of 100,000 mt on the 2016/17 harvest. Any increase in yields could push the crop closer to the 6 million mt level.