SOFIA, BULGARIA — Bulgaria’s wheat and barley harvest is over 50% complete, but dry weather caused low yields and inconsistent quality, according to a Global Agricultural Information Network report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

As of July 9, Bulgaria had harvested 74% of its 2020-21 market year wheat. Wheat yields were challenged with dry weather in the spring.

Despite being ahead of last year’s harvest pace, the country is seeing a 30% decline of yield for market year 2020-21 compared to the previous. The USDA forecasts the country’s wheat production to total 5.4 million tonnes.

As Bulgaria’s barley market year 2020-21 harvest nears completion, the commodity yield is still 14% below the previous marketing year. The USDA estimates the 2020-21 marketing year production to hit 570,000 tonnes.

However, corn output was boosted by near-to above-average rainfall in June 2020, which improved soil moisture and conditions for the commodity. A record high of corn area was planted for the 2020-21 marketing year of 584,000 hectares. The USDA forecasts Bulgaria’s corn crop at 3.9 million tonnes, just below the previous marketing year’s 4 million tonnes.