Romania strengthens its position as one of the European Union’s key agricultural hubs

Romania continues to expand its influence in the EU agricultural market by increasing production, boosting exports, and modernizing logistics infrastructure. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), agriculture accounts for 3.3% of the country’s GDP—the highest share among EU member states—and employs around 12% of the population.

At the same time, the sector is undergoing structural transformation. Alongside large, highly efficient farming enterprises, Romania still has a significant number of small farms with limited competitiveness. About 90% of farms operate on less than 5 hectares, while fewer than 1% of large agricultural businesses control more than half of the country’s farmland.

Despite a roughly 25% decline in the number of farms over the past two decades, agricultural output has continued to grow. The strongest gains have been recorded in grain and oilseed production, which remain the backbone of Romania’s agricultural exports.

After severe droughts in 2012, 2020, and 2022, the crop sector successfully recovered and returned to a growth trajectory. In a typical year, Romania accounts for around 10% of total EU grain and oilseed production and ranks among the bloc’s leading producers of corn, wheat, barley, sunflower, rapeseed, and soybeans.

In 2025, grain acreage increased by 0.7% to 5.1 million hectares, while oilseed acreage rose by 11% to 2.1 million hectares. Total grain production jumped by 37% to 24.5 million tonnes, while oilseed output surged by 61% to 4.8 million tonnes.

Wheat became the country’s leading crop by production volume. The 2025 wheat harvest reached 12.7 million tonnes, compared to 9.3 million tonnes a year earlier. Corn production also increased from 5.9 million to 7.7 million tonnes, although farmers are gradually reducing their reliance on the crop due to recurring droughts and high temperatures.

Romania is currently the largest exporter of wheat, barley, and corn within the European Union. In the 2024/25 marketing year, the country exported more than 33 million tonnes of grain, and exports in the current season have already approached that level before the marketing year has ended.

The Port of Constanța on the Black Sea plays a central role in export logistics. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, it became one of the region’s main grain export gateways. The port is currently undergoing major upgrades, including expanded grain storage capacity and the construction of new silos.

The processing sector also holds significant growth potential. The oilseed industry is expanding rapidly, with rapeseed production surpassing sunflower output for the first time in 2025, reaching 2.5 million tonnes. Romania is also among the EU’s top three soybean producers, with a large share of production exported to Germany and Austria.

Additional momentum could come from a new five-year agricultural cooperation agreement between Romania and China. The deal covers food security, investment, agricultural processing, and technology transfer. Romanian authorities expect the partnership to strengthen the country’s position not only as a supplier of raw commodities but also as an exporter of higher value-added agri-food products.

Tags: sunseed, rapeseed, agricultural sector, corn, grain, barley, Romania, soybean, oilseeds, wheat