Experts reveal why wheat yield is lower than last year

Wheat did not yield a fifth less this year, as some agro-economic analysts claimed - but six percent less, according to the state, revealing the figures after an analysis done by the Agricultural Science Institute.

However, farmers are saying that they will sow wheat on smaller areas going forward, while experts advise introducing subsidies to help them.

Marko Gladovic is a farmer from Sabac. He has harvested 15 hectares under wheat, where he says he applied all plant protection measures. The yield is 5.7 tons per hectare and that is the only thing he is happy about.

"The price is there to cover the costs, but we are not working just to cover the costs, we're supposed to make some money, too. Next year, I will reduce the area because of the price and because of the large investments required by wheat," said Gladovic.

More and more farmers are thinking alike.

In the Sabac region several years ago sunflowers were sown on 500 hectares, now on ten times as many, at the expense of wheat.

Photo: Tanjug/Jaroslav Pap

"It's certain that there will be turbulence regarding the sowing structure for next year, we have feedback from agricultural producers that it will certainly be decreased, the market has done its bit, the climate its own," said Darko Simic from PSS Sabac.

Drought, rain and the buying price of about 18 dinars per kilogram are not the only things detrimental to wheat.

"The reason is that the optimal sowing was done at only 40 percent last fall, which was only 60 percent of wheat sown with declared varietal seeds, and of course that the overall agricultural technology was at a very modest level, from plowing to fertilization," explains Milan Prostran, an agro-economic analyst.

The state claims that the yield has not decreased by as much as can be heard - and it's lower primarily because 50 to 60 thousand hectares less were sown with wheat last year in order to maintain the fertility of the soil.

"At the moment, we have about five to six percent less yield per hectare than we had in the previous year, which was a record year. When you look at it at the level over the last ten years, this is at the level of the top three to four results. I know this sounds a little bit like sci-fi now, based on some data - but visit in the field a a little bit, listen a little better, and you will be convinced of that," said Branislav Nedimovic, minister of agriculture.

Experts, however, warn that the state should not allow wheat to be dropped and suggest subsidizing farmers according to the yield.

(Telegraf.rs/RTS)