Reduced yields of maize in Romania and Ukraine

This year's maize production in the EU seems to have decreased slightly, by 3.2%, according to the Commission's updated estimates. This is mainly due to the reduced yields we will have in the crops of Eastern Europe due to the continuous heatwaves. At the EU level, the average yields seem to be reduced in 2024 by -6% compared to 2023. However, the decrease in yields in Romania is expected to be large, which is estimated to be -18% compared to 2023 and - 22% compared to the average of the last 5 years (2019 - 2023). Also, reduced returns at the 5-year level, due to weather conditions, the EU predicts for Bulgaria (-16%) and Greece (-10%). For its part, the USDA forecasts a Romanian corn production for the 2024/2025 marketing season at 8.7 million metric tons, down 25% from the 5-year average. The crop amounted to 22 million hectares, with a decrease of -2% compared to last year and -13% below the 5-year average. Yields are predicted by the USDA to be 4.03 tons per hectare (1 ...