Romania’s sunseed crop at over 2 mln tonnes – minister

Romania has reaped over 2 million tonnes of sunseed this year, Agriculture Minister Petre Daea said on Wednesday, down from 2021 due to a prolonged drought.

High temperatures and prolonged drought have affected crops, particularly maize and sunflower seeds, across the European Union.

In Romania, preliminary ministry data showed damage to 954,123 hectares out of roughly 7 million hectares of grain and oil-producing crops. The country has reaped 9 million tonnes of wheat this year.

“You managed through hard work to pull … 9 million tonnes of wheat and over 2 million tonnes of sunflower seeds from the earth, ensuring Romania’s consumption needs and a surplus for exports,” Daea told farmers at a fair in capital Bucharest.

Preliminary data from the National Statistics Board showed Romania reaped 2.8 million tonnes of sunflower seeds in 2021.

Romania has been among the largest grain sellers in the European Union and is an active exporter to the Middle East, with Egypt the main buyer.

Tags: sunflower, Romania