The production of cereals for grains in Romania decreased last year by 32.2%, according to the provisional data announced on Friday by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). The drop in production was 8.9 million tonnes, from 27.79 million tonnes reported in 2021, to 18.84 million tonnes in 2022, mainly due to lower yields per hectare.
Grain production was directly influenced by the 44.7% drop in grain corn production, which has a 43.5% share in total grain production. Last year, Romania obtained a grain corn production of 8.2 million tons, from an area of 2.47 million hectares, while in 2021 the harvest was 14.82 million tons, harvested from 2 .54 million hectares.
INS data show that the area cultivated with grains for grains decreased by 3% last year, compared to the previous year, totaling 5.19 million hectares. The area cultivated with grain corn in 2022 represents 47.6% of the area cultivated with grains for grains, and that cultivated with wheat 41.3%.
Regarding wheat production, last year Romania obtained 8.55 million tons, down by almost 18% (1.875 million tons) compared to the 10.43 million tons obtained in 2021. Last year were cultivated with wheat 2.14 million hectares, a slightly decreasing area compared to 2021, respectively 2.17 million hectares.
At the same time, Romania obtained a total production of 1.64 million tons of barley and spelt in 2022, down 334,000 tons compared to 2021, and 176,000 tons of oats compared to 210,000 tons in the previous year. For both crops, the cultivated areas were decreasing, totaling 415,000 ha for barley and spelt (-34,000 ha) and 80,000 hectares for oats (-7,000 hectares).
In 2022, vegetable agricultural production recorded a decrease, compared to the previous year, in cereals for grains, vegetables, oilseeds, potatoes and legumes for grains.
Last year, compared to some Member States of the European Union, Romania ranked first in the area cultivated with grain corn and in second place in terms of production, after France. In terms of wheat, Romania ranked fifth in cultivated area after France, Germany, Poland and Spain and fourth in production after France, Germany and Poland.