Moldovan wheat crop exceeds 1.2 million tons in 2016

15:20 | 10.08.2016 Category: Economic

Chisinau, 10 August /MOLDPRES/- Moldovan farmers got a record amount of wheat in 2016 against 2015, as being collected 1.28 million tons in all. Agriculture and Food Minister Eduard Grama presented data on the matter today.

“This is the best result of the last five years and it proves that Moldova’s agriculture is developing by good steps. Under the operative data of the territory, this year an increase in all grain crops and leguminous of 1st group is registered in 2016 against 2015, as well as last years. Thus, the average productivity of wheat per hectare is 3.1 tons, increasing by 15 per cent against the previous year (2.76 tons/ha) and by 19 per cent against average of the past five years (2.68 tons/ha),” Grama said.

At the same time, the official noted that “although the harvest is higher, the quality of wheat dropped, due to heavy rains during May-June that washed starch and gluten, the main properties of wheat used in food. However, wheat represents about 60 per cent of global wheat harvest. Thus, 760,000 tons of wheat will be used in food, quantity that is twice higher than necessary to ensure food safety of the country, being 350,000 tons”.

Grama also pointed out that the acquisition price of wheat was decreasing all around the world, due to rich harvest and “cannot determine price increase on procuring it for local producers. However, it is too early to say that the 2016 rich harvest will lead to cheapening of bread or flour. A decision on the matter is to be taken in late September”, he said.

“The highest wheat crop, 4.89 tons/ha, was registered in Falesti district, following Taraclia – 4.26 tons/ha, Soroca – 4.2 tons/ha and Leova – 4.21 tons/ha. The lowest results were got in Briceni district – 2.70 tons/ha, Chisinau and Basarabeasca – 2.80 tons/ha, as well as Edinet – 3 tons/ha. The results were determined by heavy rains or their absence”, the head of the ministry’s department for production policies and quality regulations of plant products, Mihail Suvac, added.

Over 370,000 hectares of wheat were cultivated in Moldova in 2016.

(Reporter P. Beregoi, editor L. Alcază)

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