The European Union"s wheat crop will decrease by 1.6% in 2007 compared to the last five years" average, whereas Romania"s wheat crop will plunge 20.1% because of the drought, according European Commission estimates.
"The overall grains crop of the European Union will decrease by 5 million tons to 276 million tons, respectively by 1.6% compared to the last five years" average. The most significant losses will be incurred in Central and Eastern Europe," the European Commission forecast indicates.
Crops were favored in the first part of the year, following a mild winter and warm spring, but powerful rainfalls in the north and drought in the south eventually compromised the result. In Romania, the wheat crop will drop 20.1% compared to the last five years" average, whereas the corn crop will go down 17.7%. Sunflower is set to go -16.9%, whereas rapeseed will plunge as much as 50%.