Heat destroyed corn crops in Romania and Ukraine. Harvest will be much lower

Heat in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region dried out corn during a key crop yield period, Bloomberg reports. This year's harvest will differ significantly from the forecast. Losses on plantations are confirmed by Ukraine and Romania.

Forecasts are falling

-For ten days in July we observed temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius. At this temperature the bees do not pollinate. Initially, it looks like the corn harvest will be 20-30% lower than expected, Tetyana Adamenko, head of the Department of Agrometeorology of the Hydrometeorological Center of Ukraine, told the Ukrainian portal Latifundist.

Therefore, it is assumed that corn exports from Ukraine will decrease by approximately one fifth in the 2024/25 season.

Drought in Romania

The Romanian authorities, in turn, reported that heat and severe drought have already destroyed over 2 million hectares of corn and sunflowers in the country. In fields, there is no moisture in the soil up to a depth of 1 meter and drought is intensifying.

Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu announced that due to the losses, Romania will ask the European Commission for help to compensate farmers. The government will apply for EUR 500 million.