Wheat production could reach record level in 2025, says head of Romanian Farmers' Association

Romania's wheat harvest could reach 14 million tonnes this year, which would represent a spectacular increase and a record level of wheat production since 1997, but current prices do not benefit farmers at all, claims the president of the Romanian Farmers' Association (AFR), Daniel Botanoiu.

"After two years of problems, in 2023 and 2024, Romanian producers benefited from favourable conditions in the spring of this year. The heavy rains in April-May restored soil moisture and led to a consistent productive development. With an estimated average yield of 4.97 tonnes/hectare, estimates for the 2025/2026 season vary between 13.3 and 14 million tonnes, which would represent a spectacular increase and a record level of wheat production since 1997," Daniel Botanoiu told AGERPRES.

Last year, wheat production collapsed to 9.29 million tonnes, the weakest result in the last decade.

The estimated increase for 2025 - of over 40% compared to 2024 - is doubled by a superior quality of the harvest. According to preliminary data, this year's Romanian wheat is qualitatively superior to the harvests in France and Germany, which were affected by excessive rainfall.

According to the analysis carried out by AFR, Romania exported approximately 5.48 million tonnes of wheat this year, compared to 6.40 million tons the previous year, and the total value of exports was 1.24 billion euros, compared to 1.46 billion euros the previous year.

As for corn, the European Commission estimates indicate a production of over 10 million tonnes for Romania in 2025, compared to only 6 million tonnes last year. For sunflower, production is estimated at 2.22 million tonnes, which would maintain Romania in the European leadership position.

Against the backdrop of these developments, the Romanian cereal market is marked by price volatility.

Thus, from the data analyzed by AFR, bread wheat is traded in July 2025 between 857 and 1,017 lei/tonne, depending on the BRM area (Romanian Commodity Exchange - west, east, south - editor's note) or DAP Constanta (delivery directly to the buyer in the Constanta area, with all expenses included - editor's note). In March 2025, the average price of bread wheat (milling wheat) at the port of Constanta was 253 dollars/tonne, up by about 45 dollars/tonne compared to March 2024 and by 15 dollars/tonne compared to the previous month, in the context of climatic uncertainties in Eastern Europe.

As for corn, prices vary between 800 and 1,057 lei/tonne, around 1,077 lei/tonne FOB Constanta with regional variations. These quotes reflect the price of cereals at the regional level or at the port gate.