ROMANIA'S CEREAL PRODUCTION SERIOUSLY REDUCED BY DROUGHT - 29 November 2000

Abstract

After suffering the worst drought in decades, Romania's cereal crop output in 2000 has been significantly reduced, well beyond the decline already evident in the past decade. Official data on rainfall and temperature indicate that drought conditions affected over 90 percent of the agricultural land surface to a variable extent from May until at least the end of August 2000. In many parts dry conditions continued through September and October. In most of the main arable areas, the drought effects were compounded by a heat wave at the height of summer. Of the cereal crops, the worst affected was maize, which is spring planted and had generally inadequate access to moisture throughout its whole growing period. Wheat, being winter-sown, fared somewhat better with the benefit of moisture from the autumn and winter. Apart from cereals however, the drought also had significant impact on the sunflower crop, which has a similar growing season to maize, and affected other food and fodder c rops. As a result of the decline in cereal output, a tight supply situation is in prospect in the coming months and significant imports could be required before the end of the current 2000/01 (July/June) marketing year, in stark contrast to previous years when the country has been a net cereal exporter.