Bulgaria harvests 1.4 million tonnes of sunseeds

Bulgarian farmers have harvested 1.38 million tonnes of sunflower seeds from 99.9 percent of the sown acreage this autumn, down from 1.46 million tonnes a year ago, the agriculture ministry said on Monday The Balkan country also reaped 2.07 million tonnes of maize this year from over 99 percent of the sown area, preliminary data showed, up by 122,000 tonnes from 2010.
Favourable weather boosted the European Union's maize crop, with grain analysts expecting it to jump to 64.4-65 million tonnes from 55 million last year. However, extensive drought and delayed sowings in eastern and central Europe could reduce the 2012 wheat and barley yields and hit rapeseed harvest, farmers and analysts said. The dry weather has hit Ukraine worst so far, with farmers and weather forecasters saying the major Black Sea grain producer could lose up to 30 percent of its winter grains.