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Rapeseed: Historically, no clear cultivation trend predominates

June 7, 2018 at 12:20 PM , Starry Night Ltd.
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SOFIA. On a nationwide level, farmers are prepared to enter a larger area of rapeseed for harvest. Yet, will they realize a higher yield?

Rapeseed: Auspicious weather is crucial for success  

BULGARIA. During the first half of June 2018, the weather forecast predicts rainfalls throughout the country with different intensity and duration, depending on the region. Temperatures will be above the threshold while hailstorms are not out of the question. However, as has been the case so far in the month, in regions, fields receive sufficient amounts of showers; in others, showers have flooded agricultural plots; and the rest has received too little rain or rains just to clear the dust from the ground, as farmers are used to indirectly describe their worries over the lack of favourable rain.

Historically, a lack of clear cultivation trend

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, by the end of May 2018, estimates of available for the upcoming harvest rapeseed land stood at 187,134 ha, which on a yearly basis is by 13.2% higher. The most recent estimates of fallen-through nationwide plots amount to just 540 ha, but most probably the figure will increase substantially since farmers throughout different regions of the country have confirmed of lost plots because of unfavourable weather conditions earlier in the season.

Year/ Term

                    Nationwide

Harvested area

Aggregate yield

Aggregate output

     in HA

 in MT/HA

    in MT

2013

   134,656

     2.50

   336,731

2014

   190,194

     2.78

   527,912

2015

   170,421

     2.48

   422,092

2016

   171,511

     2.97

   509,251

2017

   160,650

     2.98

   478,987

Source: Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture

Throughout recent years, nationwide sowed areas with rapeseed lack a clear ascending or descending trend, as could be seen from the table above. Even though the great majority of rapeseed is swiftly exported in the few months after harvest, farmers seem reluctant to substantially increase the cultivation of the crop, yet!

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