Moldova’s wheat production exceeds 1.16 mln tons compared to 2016

Chisinau, 15 August /MOLDPRES/ – Moldova’s wheat production has increased by almost 1 per cent in 2017 than in 2016, that is 1.16 million tons, averaging 3.87 tons per hectare, up 0.77 tons from 2016, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment’s data.

"The harvesting of cereal and leguminous crops of group I and colza began later, compared to 2016, in the first decade of July. On 11 August, over 99 per cent of the area sown with wheat was harvested and harvesting the crops of group I: barley, peas and colza was successfully completed," said the ministry.

Over the average results were registered in the North area – 4.08 tons of wheat per hectare, and the regions with the best indicators are: Ocnita – 5.0 tons, Edinet – 4.7, Taraclia – 4.67, Briceni – 4.62, Leova – 4.42 t/ha.

The global harvest of autumn and spring barley was 248.2 thousand tons at an average yield per hectare of 3.4 tons, up 0.4 tons compared to 2016. Data from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that the production of peas was 50.5 thousand tons, and colza – 73.7 thousand tons.

The varieties of agricultural crops of group I and colza, sown by the agricultural producers are in the proportion of 15 per cent domestic and 85 per cent foreign selection – from Romania, Ukraine, France and Bulgaria.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), wheat production worldwide could be 744 million tons, or 1.8 per cent less than in 2016. The FAO announced that the decline would be recorded in 2017 because farmers in the USA have reduced crops of wheat in favour of more expensive crops. However, several countries in the European Union, but also Russia, China and India will harvest the same amount of wheat as in 2016.

(Reporter V. Bercu, editor M. Jantovan)