Brief: Romanian Crops Hurt by Not Enough Rain Followed by Too Much

Romanian wheat output is forecast to be down by 12% this year due to excessively dry conditions at the time of planting last year. This has caused a poor rate of emergence and a lack of uniformity according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Romanian attaché. Output is in further question for this spring due to excessive rains; flooding has hampered the application of current treatments. This setback has increased the risk of disease and pest damage.

As a result of wheat farmers swapping out lost wheat acreage for corn, the country’s corn acreage is forecast to be slightly higher than 2014 at 6.7 million acres, however the wet spring delayed corn planting as well.

Romania is the EU’s top country ranked by corn acreage, and its second ranked by corn production, and exports to countries in the EU, the Middle East, and South Korea. It also exports wheat to the Middle East, Asia, and few EU countries.