Unharvested corn in Drochia leaves farmers facing losses of up to 40%
Crops that were not impacted by the drought are now at risk due to the extended rainfall. In the Drochia district, some farmers were unable to harvest their corn. Small-scale farmers, lacking sufficient space to store and dry their corn, are particularly affected. As a result, they are forced to sell their corn directly from the field, often at prices that are up to 40 percent lower than usual.
Pavel Cibotari, a farmer from Miciurin village in the Drochia district, cultivates corn on 80 hectares of land. Unfortunately, he was only able to harvest half of his crop before the snow began.
“It’s challenging to harvest because the humidity in the corn is very high. We are waiting for either frost or a decrease in humidity so that we can harvest, minimizing financial losses, and we are looking to process the land afterwards,” says the farmer.
Currently, all of the corn is being sold directly from the field, as Cibotari lacks the space to store and dry it. This situation has resulted in approximately 40% financial losses.
“At present, the humidity level is 24%, which means there is more than a 10% surplus of water in the corn. Right now, the price stands at about one leu per kilogram,” Cibotari explains.
Agricultural experts indicate that this year has been unusual, characterized by heavy rainfall, which has made it difficult to predict the corn harvest's yield.
“We experienced a similar situation in 2021, when there was significant rainfall. However, we must proceed with harvesting and deal with the conditions as they are, while also planning to avoid late harvests in the future if climatic conditions do not allow for safe sowing. I’m concerned that fields intended for autumn crops may not be sown with sunflowers in the spring, which could worsen the phytosanitary situation,” warns Boris Boincean, a professor of agricultural sciences.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry has announced that the data regarding the agricultural territory is incomplete. However, it appears that the unharvested areas are primarily small farmers' holdings, with some larger holdings. The Association of Cereal Producers and Exporters, known as "Agrocereale," has estimated that this year farmers will harvest approximately 1.3 million tons of corn, cultivated on a total area of 415 hectares.
