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Unexpected hailstorms ravaged regions

July 4, 2017 at 8:49 PM , Starry Night Ltd.
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Recent hails, as big as tennis balls, devastated some regions. Harvest will be postponed at some places while at others, farmers count the losses.

Wheat: agro-business - it is an open factory under the sky

SOFIA. Because of the somewhat colder Spring this year, the vegetation of crops was somewhat belated. Moreover, unexpected rains right before harvest postponed harvest, as well. However, farmers could adapt to mild changes in weather conditions and manage such consequences without a problem! Yet, the unexpected hailstorms of the past few days, heavily hitting parts in west and central North regions, came as a bane for some of them. Subsequently, storms moved towards the east and central regions of the country, as for the time being, the Granary of Bulgaria has been spared. Some farmers estimated losses of as much as 50%; while a few stand close to 100%. Soon, the actual losses because of the recent hailstorms will become apparent.

Some farmers already sold out; others are in the midst of harvest

Right before the hailstorms, some farmers in the west and central North regions already harvested their fields, fulfilling their contracts with buyers. Those in the Northeast and the South regions are in the midst of harvest. Before harvest began, farmers in the North regions expected a stronger yield this season because of auspicious weather conditions during Spring, which brought sufficient rains and infused the necessary water reserves in the soil. Whether the recent hailstorms will change the picture for the worse remains to be seen. Anyhow, the quality of wheat will be impacted by the rains.

Currently, farmers of feed wheat persist in not selling below 0.140 EUR/kg EXW Bulgaria although buyers ask for prices as low as 0.128 EUR/kg.

Wheat, Bulgaria

Type

EUR/kg

milling wheat

0.145

feed wheat

0.140

EXW Bulgaria

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