Serbia Produces More Corn, Plants More Wheat

Matt Hopkins Posted by Matt Hopkins|9 December 2008

US Department of Agriculture Foreign Agriculture Service (USDA-FAS) estimates Serbia’s corn production for the market year 2008/09 at about 5.9 million metric tons (MT), almost 45% higher than the previous year when drought seriously affected corn yield. Serbia is expected to have corn available for exports over 1.2 million MT. Domestic corn consumption is expected to be lower than usual due to the livestock downtrend.

Serbian growers are expected to plant about 1.1 million hectares (ha) for the 2008/09. Total area planted of the new wheat crop is estimated at 580,000 ha, 19% higher than in the previous year. Due to low corn prices and inability to collect payments for sunflower crops from refineries, farmers are sowing more wheat. The Serbian government continues to provide wheat and corn production support of US $155 per ha of arable land to registered farmers.

Hide picture