Weak wheat harvest expected in southern Bulgaria

A weak wheat harvest is expected in southern Bulgaria this year, grain producers here in southern Bulgaria are reporting a significant drop in wheat yields for the second year in a row, while grain quality remains high. Bulgarian media reported.

Low purchase prices are preventing farmers from covering their costs, while climate and drought are adding to the difficulties, with farmers calling on the government to take urgent measures to provide water for irrigation.

In the regions around Plovdiv, Chirpan and Stara Zagora, yields are about 50% lower than in previous years. Svyatoslav Rusalov, a grain producer from Trud village, shares:

“The wheat looked good, but when we brought in the combines, it turned out to be a big disappointment. The yield is deplorably low, we harvest about 300-350 kilograms, some fields yield 400 kilograms, but this is very rare. Last year the yields were in the range of 400-500 kg.

Ludmil Rabotov, chairman of the Union of Grain Producers of Plovdiv, is also concerned: “The situation is not as we expected. We will count the losses, it’s very worrying”.

Despite the excellent quality of wheat, low purchase prices do not allow farmers to cover production costs. Some farmers are considering selling machinery and reducing the rent they pay to landowners. Rusalov explains, “With a production cost of about BGN 200, the current price of 33 cents requires a yield of 600 kg, and we only get 350 kg. The price should be double the current price.”

Lack of water is a serious problem. “Irrigation Systems” informs grain growers that they will have less than half of the required amount of water for irrigation. At the moment there are about 22 million cubic meters of water in the dam “Piaszczanik”, which is extremely insufficient. Rabotov commented, “The springtails are under a lot of stress. They have gone to burn the lower leaves of sunflowers and corn.”

Grain producers demand an early solution to the irrigation problem. If the state provides the necessary water volumes, farmers are ready to invest in modern irrigation systems.