January 4, 2012

Romania's corn harvest rose 26% in 2011, producing the biggest crop in seven years, according to a document published on the Romanian Agriculture Ministry's website.

Farmers reaped 11.4 million tonnes of the grain from 6.2 million acres, the ministry said. The crop was the biggest since the 14.6 million tonnes gathered in 2004, the figures show.

"Romania has the potential to export about 10 million tonnes of corn and wheat, following the very good crop," Agriculture Minister Valeriu Tabara said in a phone interview. "The country has already exported about two million tonnes of grains so far."

The Romanian farmers are seeking to take advantage of higher international grain prices and boost exports as they need money to invest in outdated machines, technology and buy fertilisers.

Romania's wheat harvest increased 24% last year to about 7.2 million tonnes, the biggest crop in six years, the ministry's data show.

South Africa already said it is importing yellow corn from Romania with two ships en-route to the Western Cape province, Reuters reported, citing Jannie de Villiers, the chief executive officer of Grain SA, a farmers' group.