Bulgaria gears for all-time high wheat crop in 2017

SOFIA: Bulgaria expects to have harvested almost 6 million tonnes of a wheat this year, an all-time record high crop in the Balkan country, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.

The estimate, which exceeds last year's crop of 5.66 million tonnes, was made based on preliminary data after the wheat harvest was completed, an agriculture ministry spokesman said.

"Preliminary data shows the crop is between 5.85 and 5.95 million tonnes," the ministry said in a statement. "A harvest of almost 6 million tonnes is a historic record, Bulgaria has never reached such levels," it said.

The ministry said the average yield was 8 percent higher than in 2016 and wheat exports are expected to exceed 1.0 million tonnes by August 15.