Corn acreage in Romania could fall to lowest in over 10 years

Corn acreage in Romania, one of Europe’s largest grain producers, could fall to its lowest level in more than a decade this year due to rising costs and drought, according to a report by Global Ag News.

Traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News estimate that corn plantings in 2026 will be around 1.6 million hectares. That’s down about 20% from nearly 2 million hectares last year and the lowest level since at least 2015, according to Eurostat.

“The general trend — especially in the south and west of Romania — is that acreage is shrinking,” said Stan Tiberiu-Dan, vice president of the Romanian Forum of Professional Farmers and Processors.

Rising production costs have been a key factor in the decline. The conflict around Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have caused energy and fertilizer prices to rise, putting pressure on agricultural producers’ margins.

The UN warns that if the situation does not stabilize by mid-year, the decline in yields could lead to an increase in the number of people facing acute hunger by another 45 million people.

Corn requires significant amounts of nitrogen fertilizers, so farmers in other EU countries are also reducing crops. In France, farmers may reduce the area under this crop by about 15%, industry organizations warn.

At the same time, the Coceral estimate published in March was higher — 1.95 million hectares, which indicates a deterioration in expectations.

Drought remains an additional negative factor. According to the European Drought Observatory, western regions of Romania are experiencing a prolonged deficit of precipitation and snow, which has reduced moisture reserves in the soil.

Due to difficult conditions, some farmers are abandoning corn cultivation. In particular, farmer Mihai Sadica from the Dobrudja region has not sown a single hectare with this crop this year.

“Production costs have increased significantly, while sales prices have not adapted accordingly,” he noted.

Tags: Romania, sown area