October 27, 2009
Pesticides ban injures Italy's corn production
Italy's corn production fell further than expected this year, partly due to a ban on pesticides, according to an official report.
Pesticides were banned on fear of its effects on bees, leading to a five-percent decline in corn yields.
Statistics agency Istat pegged Italy's national corn harvest, Europe's second largest, at 8.28 million tonnes, down 15.4 percent year on year and below other forecasts.
Agricultural research centre Ismea three weeks ago put production at 8.52 million tonnes, while Coceral, the Brussels-based grains pressure group, has estimated the crop at 8.8 million tonnes.
The slip also reflects lower plantings. Farmers sowed 943,000 hectares this year, down 4.9 percent year on year, according to official data.
Heat stress has also caused damage to Italian corn production.
