Serbia hopes for 2.7mn metric tons wheat yield

BELGRADE: Serbia expects a wheat yield of about 2.7 million metric tons this year, lower than in 2018, the Tanjug state-run news agency reported on Friday, citing the agriculture minister.

Serbia's wheat crop in 2018 stood at around 3.4 million metric tons, compared to 2.3 million a year before. The total planted area for all crops in the Balkan country is estimated at 3.38 million hectares.

The 2.7 million metric ton yield expected by Agriculture Minister Branislav Nedimovic this year would allow Belgrade to export around one million metric tons.

"I expect wheat yields of 4.7 to 4.8 metric tons per hectare," the Tanjug quoted Nedimovic as saying.

He also said that the local price of wheat for this year's harvest is expected to be around 21 dinars ($0.2033) per kg.

In March, Egypt's agriculture ministry said it would allow the import of Serbian wheat into the country.