August 8, 2005

World grain harvest surge nine percent in 2004
 

World grain harvest surged 9 percent from 2003 to register 2,049 billion tonnes in 2004, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

Global corn harvest totalled 705 million tonnes in 2004, and has surpassed that of wheat and rice since 2001. This was due to rising meat demand that encouraged farmers to plant corn as a feedgrain.

Major corn growing areas in North America, Europe and Asia all hit bumper crop levels in 2004, the FAO said.

Meanwhile, global wheat harvest hit a record of 624 million tonnes in 2004, an 11 percent rise from 2003.

The bumper harvests for wheat and corn helped push global grain stocks up for the first time in five years, registering 441 million tonnes.